CVE-2017-2401 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3 is affected. macOS before 10.12.4 is affected. tvOS before 10.2 is affected. watchOS before 3.2 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 • 10/29/2024
This vulnerability resides within the kernel component of Apple's operating systems, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that affects multiple device platforms including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management within the kernel space, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious applications to gain elevated privileges and execute arbitrary code with system-level access. The flaw specifically manifests as a memory corruption issue that occurs when processing crafted applications, enabling attackers to bypass security boundaries that normally protect the kernel from user-space applications.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119, which describes weaknesses related to memory safety and improper handling of memory resources. Attackers can leverage this issue by crafting specially designed applications that trigger the memory corruption when loaded or executed on affected systems. Once exploited, the vulnerability provides attackers with the ability to execute code in a privileged context, effectively elevating their privileges from standard user level to kernel level access. This privilege escalation capability fundamentally compromises the security model of the operating systems, as it allows malicious code to bypass essential security protections including code signing requirements, sandboxing mechanisms, and other runtime protections.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2401 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise and persistent backdoor installation. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain access to the full system resources including the ability to read and modify any file system content, access network communications, and potentially install additional malware. The memory corruption aspect also introduces denial of service possibilities, where the kernel crash or corruption could render devices unusable until system restart or recovery procedures are performed. This vulnerability particularly affects devices running older versions of Apple's operating systems, making it a significant concern for users who have not updated their systems to the patched versions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate system updates and patches provided by Apple. Users should promptly upgrade to iOS 10.3, macOS 10.12.4, tvOS 10.2, and watchOS 3.2 or later versions that contain the necessary kernel fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive updates in a timely manner. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious application installations and execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining current operating system versions and following Apple's security advisories. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be used as a persistence mechanism once the initial exploit is successful, making it a critical target for both defensive and offensive security operations.