CVE-2017-13873 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11 is affected. macOS before 10.13 is affected. tvOS before 11 is affected. watchOS before 4 is affected. The issue involves the "Kernel" component. It allows attackers to obtain sensitive network-activity information about arbitrary apps via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2020
This vulnerability resides within the kernel component of affected Apple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 11, macOS versions before 10.13, tvOS versions before 11, and watchOS versions before 4. The flaw enables attackers to extract sensitive network activity information from arbitrary applications through a specially crafted malicious application. This represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that could potentially allow adversaries to gain insights into network communications of other applications on the device. The kernel-level nature of this vulnerability means it operates at the core of the operating system, providing attackers with deep access to system functions and potentially enabling further exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves improper access controls or information flow management within the kernel's network monitoring or packet processing mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this weakness by installing a crafted application that exploits the kernel's insufficient validation of network activity data access requests. This allows the malicious application to bypass normal security boundaries and access network activity logs or monitoring data from other applications running on the same system. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-200, which describes "Information Exposure" and specifically addresses situations where information is exposed to unauthorized users or processes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as network activity information can reveal sensitive patterns about user behavior, application usage, and potentially confidential communications. An attacker could use this data to infer personal information, identify security vulnerabilities in other applications, or map network topologies within enterprise environments. This capability could enable more sophisticated attacks including targeted phishing campaigns, social engineering operations, or advanced persistent threat activities that rely on understanding network behavior patterns. The vulnerability affects all affected Apple platforms, creating a widespread risk across mobile, desktop, and embedded devices that could be exploited in various attack scenarios.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate system updates to the latest versions of the affected operating systems, as Apple would have addressed this kernel-level vulnerability through patches. Organizations should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, application whitelisting policies and sandboxing measures can help limit the potential impact of malicious applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of kernel security and proper access control mechanisms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to prevent lateral movement if exploitation occurs, as the vulnerability's nature suggests it could potentially be leveraged for broader system compromise.