CVE-2017-2487 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-2017-2487 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's font parsing infrastructure affecting multiple operating systems including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. This issue resides within the FontParser component which is responsible for processing font files within these platforms. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of malformed font data that can lead to memory corruption when the system attempts to parse specially crafted font files. The flaw is particularly concerning as it allows remote attackers to exploit this weakness without requiring physical access to the device or user interaction beyond encountering the malicious font file.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. When the FontParser component processes a maliciously constructed font file, it fails to properly validate the font structure, leading to memory corruption that can result in arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. This memory corruption occurs during the parsing phase when the system attempts to interpret font metrics, glyphs, or other font-related metadata that has been deliberately manipulated to exceed expected memory boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to Apple device users as it can be exploited remotely through various attack vectors including email attachments, web content, or file downloads. The impact extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially allow full system compromise through arbitrary code execution, making it a prime target for sophisticated attack campaigns. The vulnerability affects all versions prior to the mentioned security updates, meaning that users who have not applied the necessary patches remain exposed to potential exploitation. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to devices, execute malicious payloads, or disrupt normal device operation through denial of service attacks that cause applications to crash repeatedly.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-2487 requires immediate deployment of Apple's security updates for all affected platforms including iOS 10.3, macOS 10.12.4, tvOS 10.2, and watchOS 3.2. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all devices are updated promptly. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based controls to prevent execution of untrusted font files and monitor for suspicious network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should avoid opening font files from untrusted sources and maintain awareness of the potential for malicious font files to be embedded within other file types. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper memory management in system components that process untrusted data, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through font files and T1203 for exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities.