CVE-2017-2489 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.12.4 is affected. The issue involves the "Intel Graphics Driver" component. It allows attackers to obtain sensitive information from kernel memory via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2489 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Apple's macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to 10.12.4. This security issue resides within the Intel Graphics Driver component, which serves as a crucial interface between the operating system and graphics hardware. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and memory management practices within the graphics driver's kernel extension, creating an avenue for malicious applications to access privileged kernel memory regions. The vulnerability manifests when a specially crafted application attempts to interact with the graphics driver's memory management subsystem, potentially exposing sensitive kernel data to unauthorized processes. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-200 category of "Information Exposure" and represents a classic example of improper access control in kernel-mode components. The Intel Graphics Driver component operates at the highest privilege level within the system, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to escalate their privileges or extract confidential information.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2017-2489 relies on the attacker's ability to construct a malicious application that can trigger a memory access pattern within the graphics driver's kernel extension. This flaw essentially allows for kernel memory disclosure, where an unprivileged user-space process can potentially read sensitive data from kernel memory locations that should remain protected. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked kernel memory may contain cryptographic keys, user credentials, system configuration data, or other sensitive information that could be leveraged for further attacks. The attack vector involves the crafted application making specific API calls or memory operations that cause the graphics driver to inadvertently expose kernel memory contents. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates below the normal security boundaries of the operating system, bypassing standard user-mode protections and access controls that typically prevent such memory access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2489 extends significantly beyond the immediate information disclosure threat, as it creates potential for privilege escalation and system compromise. Attackers could use the leaked kernel memory to discover system internals, identify security mechanisms, or extract encryption keys that would enable more sophisticated attacks against the affected system. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1056.001 for "Input Injection" and T1068 for "Local Privilege Escalation" within the adversary's attack framework. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple macOS versions before 10.12.4 means that organizations running affected systems remained exposed for an extended period, potentially allowing attackers to establish long-term presence on compromised systems. Security researchers have noted that such kernel memory disclosure vulnerabilities often serve as stepping stones for more comprehensive system compromises, as the leaked information can be used to craft more targeted attacks against other system components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2489 primarily focus on immediate system updates and operational security measures. Apple addressed this vulnerability through the release of macOS 10.12.4, which included patches to the Intel Graphics Driver component that corrected the memory access validation issues. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the affected macOS updates to protect their systems from exploitation. Additional mitigations include implementing strict application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted applications that could potentially exploit this vulnerability, monitoring system logs for unusual graphics driver activity, and conducting regular security assessments of system configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of kernel-mode security and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of graphics drivers and other system components that operate with elevated privileges. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms that can detect and prevent suspicious memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date system software and the potential consequences of running unsupported operating system versions.