CVE-2017-2468 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. The issue involves the "WebKit" 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 • 02/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2468 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 10.3, Safari versions before 10.1, and tvOS versions before 10.2. This vulnerability resides within the core web browsing component that processes and renders web content across Apple's ecosystem, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through standard web browsing activities. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue that occurs when WebKit processes specially crafted web pages, creating a pathway for attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code on affected devices or cause application crashes that result in denial of service conditions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's processing of web content, specifically when parsing certain web elements or structures that trigger memory corruption conditions. This type of flaw typically occurs when the software fails to properly validate or sanitize input data before processing it in memory, leading to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that can be leveraged by attackers. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common precursors to remote code execution exploits. Attackers could craft malicious web pages that, when loaded in Safari or other WebKit-based applications, would trigger the memory corruption, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2468 extends far beyond simple application instability, as it represents a significant threat to user security and privacy across Apple's mobile and television platforms. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or unauthorized access to sensitive user information, particularly given that Safari is the primary web browsing interface on iOS and macOS devices. Mobile devices running affected versions of iOS are especially vulnerable as they often contain personal data, financial information, and corporate credentials that could be accessed through successful exploitation. The attack surface is broad since any user could potentially encounter a malicious website while browsing, and the vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing sites, compromised legitimate websites, or through drive-by downloads that automatically trigger the exploit when a user visits a malicious page.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique T1059.001, which covers command and scripting interpreter, as attackers could potentially use the remote code execution capability to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the compromised system. Organizations and individual users affected by this vulnerability faced significant risk as the exploit could be delivered through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The remediation strategy required immediate patching of affected systems through Apple's security updates, which addressed the underlying memory corruption issue in WebKit. Security professionals recommended implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains while awaiting official patches, though the most effective mitigation remained the timely installation of Apple's security updates. The vulnerability underscored the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and highlighted the critical nature of browser security in protecting against sophisticated attacks that leverage memory corruption vulnerabilities in widely used software components.