CVE-2017-2355 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.2.1 is affected. Safari before 10.0.3 is affected. iCloud before 6.1.1 is affected. iTunes before 12.5.5 is affected. tvOS before 10.1.1 is affected. The issue involves the "WebKit" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (uninitialized memory access and application crash) via a crafted web site.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2355 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple operating systems and applications. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component that powers Safari, iCloud, iTunes, and tvOS interfaces, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts a wide range of Apple products. The flaw specifically manifests in how WebKit handles memory allocation during web page rendering processes, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit uninitialized memory access patterns that can lead to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the WebKit component, which operates under the common weakness enumeration CWE-457. This weakness category encompasses scenarios where uninitialized variables or memory locations are accessed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security breaches. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in affected browsers or applications, trigger memory access violations that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The exploitation process typically involves creating carefully constructed web content that causes the browser to access uninitialized memory regions, potentially leading to code execution with the privileges of the compromised application.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2355 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass full system compromise capabilities that align with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of "Exploitation for Code Execution". Affected systems become vulnerable to remote code execution attacks, meaning attackers can potentially install malware, steal sensitive data, or take complete control of devices without user interaction. The vulnerability affects iOS versions prior to 10.2.1, Safari versions before 10.0.3, iCloud versions before 6.1.1, iTunes versions before 12.5.5, and tvOS versions before 10.1.1, representing a broad attack surface across Apple's ecosystem. The impact is particularly severe because these applications often have elevated privileges and access to sensitive user data, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for user privacy and system security.
Organizations and users must implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including applying the latest security patches from Apple, which typically involve updating to the affected software versions that contain memory management fixes. The remediation process should include comprehensive system updates across all affected platforms, as well as network monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing browser isolation techniques and network-based intrusion detection systems to identify and block malicious web content before it can be rendered in affected applications. Additionally, user education regarding the dangers of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping software updated remains crucial in defending against this class of vulnerability that leverages the trust users place in web browsers and applications.