CVE-2017-13853 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.12.6 is affected. The issue involves the "AppleGraphicsControl" component. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13853 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.12.6. This issue specifically resides within the AppleGraphicsControl component, which serves as a crucial interface for graphics hardware management and control within the macOS ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within this graphics control module, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's graphics processing capabilities. The affected AppleGraphicsControl component is responsible for managing graphics hardware resources and providing an interface for applications to interact with the graphics subsystem, making it a prime target for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious application that can trigger memory corruption within the AppleGraphicsControl component. This memory corruption occurs when the component fails to properly validate input parameters or handle specific graphics processing commands sent by the malicious application. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, effectively bypassing normal security boundaries and potentially gaining root access to the system. The vulnerability can manifest as either a remote code execution attack or a local privilege escalation scenario, depending on how the malicious application is delivered and executed. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13853 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can result in complete system compromise and persistent backdoor access. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can establish persistent access to affected systems, potentially enabling long-term surveillance, data exfiltration, and further network infiltration activities. The memory corruption aspect of the vulnerability can also lead to system instability and denial of service conditions, where legitimate applications and system processes may crash or become unresponsive. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where macOS systems serve as critical infrastructure components, potentially affecting business continuity and data security. The vulnerability's presence in the graphics control component means that even seemingly benign applications could be leveraged to exploit this flaw, making detection and prevention more challenging.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-13853 primarily focus on immediate system updates and operational security measures. The most effective remediation involves upgrading affected macOS systems to version 10.12.6 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory corruption issues within AppleGraphicsControl. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive updates promptly. Additional mitigations include network segmentation to limit lateral movement, enhanced application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted graphics applications, and monitoring for unusual graphics processing activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral analysis tools that can detect anomalous patterns in graphics subsystem usage, as these may indicate successful exploitation of the vulnerability. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, particularly T1068 for locally executed malicious code and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, making it a significant concern for organizations seeking to maintain robust cybersecurity postures.