CVE-2017-13832 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.1 is affected. The issue involves the "802.1X" component. It allows attackers to have an unspecified impact by leveraging TLS 1.0 support.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13832 represents a significant security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13.1. This weakness specifically resides within the 802.1X authentication component, which is a critical network access control protocol that establishes authenticated network connections. The vulnerability stems from the system's continued support for TLS 1.0, an outdated cryptographic protocol that has known security weaknesses and has been deprecated by industry standards due to its susceptibility to various attacks including POODLE and BEAST exploits. The 802.1X protocol is commonly used in enterprise environments to provide secure network access by authenticating users through a centralized authentication server, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in corporate and institutional settings where network security is paramount.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when the 802.1X authentication process leverages TLS 1.0 for secure communication between the client and authentication server, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit known vulnerabilities in the older protocol. This allows adversaries to potentially intercept, manipulate, or bypass the authentication process without proper authorization, leading to unspecified but potentially severe impacts on network security. The vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-310, which covers cryptographic weaknesses, specifically focusing on the use of weak cryptographic protocols that can be exploited by attackers. The attack vector involves leveraging the outdated TLS 1.0 support within the 802.1X implementation to perform man-in-the-middle attacks or session hijacking against authenticated network connections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple network access issues, as it compromises the fundamental security assurances provided by 802.1X authentication. Organizations relying on macOS systems for network access control may experience unauthorized network access, data breaches, or complete bypass of security controls that are meant to protect sensitive corporate resources. Attackers could potentially gain access to internal networks, sensitive databases, or confidential information by exploiting the TLS 1.0 weakness in the authentication process. This vulnerability directly relates to ATT&CK technique T1076 which involves valid accounts for lateral movement, as compromised authentication processes can enable attackers to establish persistent access to network resources. The impact is particularly severe in environments where 802.1X is used for securing wireless networks, VPN access, or wired network connections, as these security controls may be rendered ineffective against such attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13832 primarily involve upgrading affected macOS systems to version 10.13.1 or later, which removes support for TLS 1.0 in the 802.1X implementation and addresses the underlying cryptographic weakness. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all network infrastructure components are configured to disable TLS 1.0 support. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation, deploying intrusion detection systems, and conducting regular security assessments of network access controls. Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication to provide defense-in-depth against potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security implementations and the critical need to phase out deprecated cryptographic protocols that continue to pose security risks in modern network environments.