CVE-2017-2444 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3 is affected. Safari before 10.1 is affected. tvOS before 10.2 is affected. watchOS before 3.2 is affected. The issue involves the "CoreGraphics" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2444 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's CoreGraphics framework that affects multiple operating systems including iOS, Safari, tvOS, and watchOS. This issue resides in the graphics rendering component that processes image data and graphical elements, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through web content rendering. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during the processing of specially crafted graphics data, creating conditions where remote attackers can manipulate memory layout and execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes. The affected versions span across several Apple platforms, indicating a widespread impact that extends beyond a single operating system, suggesting a fundamental flaw in the CoreGraphics library implementation that is shared across the Apple ecosystem.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a crafted website that delivers malicious graphics content designed to trigger memory corruption within the CoreGraphics component. When Safari or other Apple applications process such content, the graphics rendering engine fails to properly validate input data, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption that can be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. This memory corruption can manifest as either remote code execution capabilities or denial of service conditions that cause applications to crash and potentially restart. The flaw operates at the graphics processing level, making it particularly insidious as it can be triggered simply by visiting a malicious webpage, requiring no user interaction beyond normal web browsing. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation leading to memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2444 extends significantly across Apple's product portfolio, affecting users of iOS devices running versions prior to 10.3, Safari browsers before 10.1, tvOS before 10.2, and watchOS before 3.2. This widespread impact means that users across multiple device categories are vulnerable to the same attack vectors, creating a substantial risk surface for threat actors. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability makes it particularly dangerous as attackers can compromise devices without requiring physical access or additional user interaction beyond visiting malicious websites. Organizations and individuals with affected devices face potential exposure to data breaches, unauthorized access, and system compromise, as the vulnerability could be used to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the affected systems. The denial of service aspect further compounds the risk, as it can be used to disrupt services or make devices unusable, creating additional operational challenges for users and enterprises.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2444 primarily involve immediate deployment of Apple's security updates and patches that address the CoreGraphics memory corruption issue. Users should upgrade to iOS 10.3, Safari 10.1, tvOS 10.2, and watchOS 3.2 or later versions to eliminate the vulnerability. Network administrators should implement web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and monitor for exploitation attempts. Security awareness training should emphasize the importance of avoiding untrusted websites and maintaining current software versions. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as sandboxing techniques and application whitelisting to limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in graphics processing libraries, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script interpreter usage in exploitation scenarios. Continuous monitoring and threat hunting should be conducted to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability could be weaponized in targeted attacks against high-value targets within enterprise environments.