CVE-2017-13876 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.2 is affected. macOS before 10.13.2 is affected. tvOS before 11.2 is affected. watchOS before 4.2 is affected. The issue involves the "Kernel" 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 • 03/24/2025
This vulnerability resides within the kernel component of Apple's operating systems, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that affects multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management handling within the kernel space, creating an avenue for attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The issue manifests as a memory corruption vulnerability that can be exploited through a specially crafted application, allowing malicious actors to bypass security boundaries and gain unauthorized access to system resources. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" in the adversary tactics framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves memory corruption that occurs when the kernel processes input from untrusted applications without proper validation mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious applications that trigger specific code paths within the kernel, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This allows the attacker to bypass standard security controls such as sandboxing and code signing enforcement, effectively elevating their privileges to the highest system level. The memory corruption aspect suggests that the vulnerability may involve buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management flaws that corrupt kernel data structures, potentially leading to system instability or complete compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe given its potential to affect all major Apple platforms and the privileged execution context it enables. An attacker with a malicious application could gain complete system control, access sensitive user data, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's presence in kernel space means that traditional user-level security measures become ineffective, as the attacker operates at the system's most privileged level. Additionally, the denial of service aspect indicates that even successful exploitation without privilege escalation could render systems unstable or unresponsive. This vulnerability represents a significant threat to enterprise environments where Apple devices are prevalent, as it could enable attackers to compromise multiple devices within a network without requiring additional attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system updates to the patched versions of affected operating systems, as Apple released security updates for iOS 11.2, macOS 10.13.2, tvOS 11.2, and watchOS 4.2. Organizations should implement strict update policies to ensure all devices receive patches promptly. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious application behavior and potential exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on applications that attempt to access kernel-level resources. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting, sandboxing enforcement, and regular security audits. The vulnerability highlights the importance of kernel-level security and demonstrates why maintaining up-to-date system firmware and operating systems remains critical for protecting against sophisticated attacks that target core system components.