CVE-2017-2419 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3 is affected. Safari before 10.1 is affected. The issue involves the "WebKit" component. It allows remote attackers to bypass a Content Security Policy protection mechanism via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2419 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple iOS and Safari versions. This issue resides within the core web browser component responsible for processing and displaying web content across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically targets the Content Security Policy (CSP) protection mechanism, which serves as a fundamental security control designed to prevent various types of cross-site scripting attacks and other code injection exploits. The flaw allows remote attackers to circumvent these essential security protections without requiring any user interaction or authentication, making it particularly dangerous in threat scenarios.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of web content within WebKit's security framework. When browsers enforce Content Security Policy restrictions, they typically prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, loading of external resources, or other potentially harmful operations based on predefined rules. However, this flaw in WebKit's implementation enables attackers to craft malicious web pages or manipulate existing content in ways that bypass these protective measures. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability could be exploited through various attack methods including but not limited to manipulated HTML content, JavaScript injection techniques, or specific combinations of web resource loading behaviors that WebKit fails to properly validate against CSP rules.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2419 extends beyond simple privacy concerns to encompass potential full system compromise scenarios. When Content Security Policy protections are bypassed, attackers gain elevated privileges to execute malicious code within the context of web applications, potentially leading to data exfiltration, session hijacking, or even persistent backdoor installation. The vulnerability affects iOS versions prior to 10.3 and Safari versions prior to 10.1, representing a substantial user base that would have been exposed to this risk. This exposure creates opportunities for sophisticated attack campaigns where threat actors could leverage the vulnerability to target users of older Apple devices, potentially compromising sensitive information stored on these systems or using them as launch points for broader network attacks.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-16 (Configuration) and relates to ATT&CK techniques such as T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript) and T1190 (Exploit Public-Facing Application). The flaw essentially represents a failure in the browser's security architecture that allows attackers to perform privilege escalation through web-based means. Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched versions of iOS 10.3 and Safari 10.1, as well as implementing additional network-level protections such as web application firewalls and enhanced monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and demonstrates how seemingly isolated component flaws can have cascading effects on overall system security posture, particularly in mobile environments where users may be less likely to apply security updates promptly.