CVE-2017-2364 in iOS
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. The issue involves the "WebKit" component. It allows remote attackers to bypass the Same Origin Policy and obtain sensitive information via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2364 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple iOS versions and Safari browser releases. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component responsible for processing and rendering web content across Apple's ecosystem. The flaw specifically targets the Same Origin Policy implementation, which serves as a fundamental security mechanism in web browsers designed to prevent unauthorized access to resources from different origins. The affected versions include iOS versions prior to 10.2.1 and Safari versions prior to 10.0.3, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's mobile and desktop platforms. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to exploit the web browser's security model and access sensitive information that should normally be restricted due to cross-origin resource sharing limitations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper enforcement of the Same Origin Policy within WebKit's implementation. This policy typically prevents scripts from one origin from accessing resources from another origin to maintain isolation between different web domains. However, the flaw in WebKit's security model enables attackers to craft malicious websites that can bypass these protective mechanisms. The exploitation occurs through carefully constructed web content that leverages browser implementation details to access resources that should be protected by origin-based restrictions. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of cross-site scripting attacks and represents a failure in browser security boundaries that allows unauthorized data access across different domains.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides attackers with the ability to perform unauthorized data access across different web origins without user consent or awareness. This capability enables sophisticated attacks where malicious actors can gather sensitive information from users' browsing sessions, potentially including cookies, session tokens, or other confidential data that should remain isolated between different websites. The remote nature of the attack means that users can be compromised simply by visiting a malicious website, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or drive-by download scenarios. The attack vector demonstrates how a flaw in core browser security mechanisms can undermine the entire web security model that users rely on for protection against online threats.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including prompt installation of the relevant iOS 10.2.1 update and Safari 10.0.3 patch to address the vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems to detect and block malicious web content. The vulnerability aligns with attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework under the technique of "Web Protocols" and represents a classic example of a browser-based exploit that can be leveraged for information disclosure. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would be classified as a medium to high severity issue under CVSS scoring systems and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege that should be addressed through proper security patch management and continuous monitoring of browser security updates. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining current browser versions and implementing layered security approaches to protect against sophisticated web-based attacks.