CVE-2017-2407 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 "FontParser" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted font file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2407 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's font processing infrastructure affecting multiple operating systems including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. This vulnerability specifically targets the FontParser component which is responsible for interpreting and rendering font files within Apple's ecosystem. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the font parsing routines, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through specially crafted font files. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues that can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users might encounter untrusted font content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in how the FontParser component handles malformed font data structures during the parsing process. When a malicious font file is processed, the parser fails to properly validate the font's internal structure, leading to buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions. This memory corruption can be exploited to overwrite critical memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because font files are commonly encountered in various contexts including email attachments, web browsing, and document processing, making the attack surface quite broad. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow, as the memory corruption occurs due to improper bounds checking during font data processing.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2407 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it can enable remote code execution capabilities that could compromise entire devices. Attackers could potentially deliver malicious font files through various vectors including compromised websites, email attachments, or malicious documents, leading to unauthorized access to user data, device control, or further network exploitation. The vulnerability affects widely deployed Apple products, making it attractive to threat actors seeking broad impact. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged through techniques such as T1059.007: Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell and T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution, as the exploitation would involve executing malicious code through compromised font processing. The affected versions span multiple Apple platforms, indicating a systemic issue within the font handling infrastructure that required comprehensive patching across the entire ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2407 primarily involve applying the official security updates released by Apple, which include patches to the FontParser component that address the memory corruption issues. Users should immediately update to iOS 10.3, macOS 10.12.4, tvOS 10.2, and watchOS 3.2 to remediate the vulnerability. Organizations should implement proactive measures including email filtering to block suspicious font attachments, web content filtering to prevent access to potentially malicious font files, and network monitoring to detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict font processing to trusted applications only. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices, particularly in input validation and memory management, as emphasized by security standards such as OWASP Top Ten and NIST SP 800-53. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other font processing components or third-party libraries that might be susceptible to similar exploitation techniques.