CVE-2017-2372 in Logic Pro X
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. GarageBand before 10.1.5 is affected. Logic Pro X before 10.3 is affected. The issue involves the "Projects" component, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted GarageBand project file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2372 represents a critical security flaw affecting Apple's audio production software ecosystem, specifically targeting GarageBand and Logic Pro X applications. This vulnerability resides within the "Projects" component of these digital audio workstations, which are widely used by musicians, producers, and content creators for music composition and editing. The flaw manifests when these applications process specially crafted project files that contain maliciously constructed data, creating a dangerous attack surface that can be exploited by remote threat actors. The affected versions include GarageBand prior to 10.1.5 and Logic Pro X prior to 10.3, indicating that a substantial user base was potentially exposed to this risk.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory handling within the project file parsing mechanisms of these applications. When a maliciously crafted GarageBand project file is opened, the software's parsing logic fails to properly sanitize or validate the file contents, leading to memory corruption conditions that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" or more specifically CWE-787 "Out-of-bounds Write" as the corrupted memory can be manipulated to overwrite critical program structures. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can deliver malicious project files through various channels including email attachments, web downloads, or collaborative platforms without requiring physical access to the target system.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2372 extends beyond simple code execution, as it can also facilitate denial of service conditions that render the affected applications unusable. Attackers can craft project files that cause the applications to crash or become unresponsive, effectively disrupting creative workflows and potentially causing data loss. In enterprise environments where these applications are used for professional audio production, this vulnerability could lead to significant productivity losses and potential business disruption. The vulnerability's exploitation can result in complete system compromise when combined with additional attack vectors, as the arbitrary code execution capability allows threat actors to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or deploy additional malicious payloads.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1059.007 technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" as the initial compromise can lead to broader system access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory software updates to the patched versions of GarageBand and Logic Pro X, network-based filtering of project file attachments, and user education regarding the risks of opening untrusted audio project files. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized software and monitor for unusual file opening patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in media processing applications, particularly those handling complex file formats that require extensive parsing and memory management operations.