CVE-2017-2413 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.12.4 is affected. The issue involves the "QuickTime" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted media file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2413 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's QuickTime media framework affecting macOS versions prior to 10.12.4. This issue demonstrates the inherent risks associated with multimedia processing components that handle untrusted input from external sources, particularly when these components lack proper validation mechanisms for media file structures. The vulnerability resides within the QuickTime component which is responsible for processing various multimedia formats including video, audio, and animation files, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit remote execution capabilities through malicious media content.
The technical flaw manifests as a memory corruption vulnerability that occurs when QuickTime processes specially crafted media files containing malformed data structures. This memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including arbitrary code execution or application crashes, depending on the specific conditions and memory layout at the time of exploitation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read, where the QuickTime component fails to properly validate the bounds of memory allocations when parsing media file headers and metadata. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the memory layout of the QuickTime process through carefully constructed media files that trigger buffer overflows or other memory corruption conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to users who may encounter malicious media files through various attack vectors including email attachments, web downloads, or compromised websites. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers can potentially compromise systems without requiring physical access or user interaction beyond simply opening the malicious media file. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially full system compromise, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the QuickTime process, which typically runs with user-level permissions but could potentially be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter execution, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute additional malicious payloads through the compromised QuickTime process.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-2413 primarily involves updating to macOS 10.12.4 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper bounds checking and memory validation mechanisms within the QuickTime component. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems and consider implementing additional security controls such as sandboxing mechanisms and content filtering solutions to prevent users from accessing potentially malicious media files. Organizations should also consider network-based solutions like web application firewalls or content inspection systems that can detect and block suspicious media file patterns before they reach end-user systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in multimedia processing libraries, as well as the necessity of regular security updates to address discovered flaws in widely used software components. This case study reinforces the critical nature of maintaining up-to-date software systems and the potential consequences of delaying security patches in environments where users may encounter untrusted content from external sources.