CVE-2017-13875 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.2 is affected. The issue involves the "Intel Graphics Driver" component. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-13875 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13.2. This issue specifically targets the Intel Graphics Driver component which serves as the primary interface between the operating system and graphics hardware. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the graphics driver's memory management routines, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's graphics processing capabilities. The flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the graphics driver processes specially crafted graphical data from malicious applications, allowing attackers to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of graphics rendering commands that are typically processed by the Intel Graphics Driver. When a malicious application attempts to render graphics content that triggers the flawed memory access pattern, the driver fails to properly validate the input parameters, leading to unauthorized memory access. This memory corruption vulnerability can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, effectively allowing attackers to bypass standard security boundaries. The out-of-bounds read condition creates a predictable memory access pattern that can be exploited to either gain code execution privileges or to cause a system crash resulting in denial of service. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read, which represents a common class of memory safety issues that frequently lead to privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-13875 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context. This privilege escalation vulnerability allows malicious actors to potentially gain root access to affected systems, enabling them to install malware, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors. The attack vector requires only a crafted application to be executed by an unsuspecting user, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where users may be tricked into running malicious software. The vulnerability affects all macOS systems running versions earlier than 10.13.2, including desktop and laptop computers that rely on Intel graphics processors, creating a substantial attack surface across Apple's user base. This flaw directly aligns with techniques described in the attack pattern taxonomy under ATT&CK framework category T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1059, covering "Command and Scripting Interpreter" as attackers may leverage the elevated privileges to execute further malicious activities.
Organizations and individual users should immediately upgrade to macOS 10.13.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as Apple released this update specifically to address the Intel Graphics Driver flaw. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the security update promptly. Additional mitigations include monitoring for suspicious graphics processing activity, implementing application whitelisting policies, and maintaining current antivirus signatures that may detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of graphics driver security in operating system architectures, as these components often run with elevated privileges and handle complex data processing operations that can become attack vectors when proper input validation is absent. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of broader threat modeling exercises for macOS environments, particularly in enterprise settings where privileged access could lead to significant data breaches or system compromise.