CVE-2017-2380 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3 is affected. The issue involves the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) implementation in the "Profiles" component. It allows remote attackers to bypass cryptographic protection mechanisms by leveraging DES support.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2380 represents a significant cryptographic weakness within Apple's iOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.3. This flaw exists within the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol implementation located in the Profiles component of the mobile operating system. The issue stems from the improper handling of cryptographic algorithms during certificate enrollment processes, specifically allowing attackers to exploit legacy DES encryption support that should have been deprecated for security reasons. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-327 which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms, making it a critical concern for enterprise security environments that rely on proper certificate management and authentication mechanisms. The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in cryptographic protocol implementation where legacy insecure algorithms are still supported despite known security weaknesses.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the SCEP enrollment process where attackers can force the system to use DES encryption instead of stronger cryptographic algorithms. This allows adversaries to bypass the intended cryptographic protections that should normally secure certificate enrollment communications between mobile devices and certificate authorities. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it enables remote code execution and privilege escalation capabilities through the manipulation of certificate enrollment flows. The weakness specifically targets the cryptographic protocol negotiation phase where the system fails to properly enforce the use of secure encryption standards, allowing downgrade attacks to occur. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves the use of remote access tools and privilege escalation techniques, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where certificate-based authentication is commonly deployed.
The operational impact of CVE-2380 extends beyond simple cryptographic weakness to encompass broader security implications for mobile device management and enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations relying on iOS devices for certificate-based authentication and secure communications face potential exposure to man-in-the-middle attacks and unauthorized certificate enrollment processes. The vulnerability undermines trust in the device's security framework, particularly affecting enterprise mobility management systems that depend on proper certificate handling. Attackers can leverage this weakness to obtain unauthorized certificates, potentially enabling them to impersonate legitimate services or gain elevated privileges within corporate networks. The impact is amplified in environments where certificate enrollment is automatically handled by mobile device management platforms, as the vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the enrollment process without requiring physical device access or advanced exploitation techniques. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations with large iOS device deployments where certificate management is automated and centralized.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2380 require immediate system updates to iOS version 10.3 or later where Apple has addressed the cryptographic weakness in the SCEP implementation. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify devices running affected iOS versions and prioritize their update schedules. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual certificate enrollment patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also review and update their certificate management policies to ensure that legacy cryptographic algorithms are properly disabled or deprecated across all systems. The implementation of additional security controls such as certificate pinning and enhanced certificate validation procedures can provide additional layers of protection. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security audits to ensure compliance with cryptographic best practices and industry standards such as those defined by NIST SP 800-57 for cryptographic key management and algorithm selection.