CVE-2017-2514 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3.2 is affected. Safari before 10.1.1 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.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2514 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple iOS and Safari versions. This vulnerability exists within the core browser component responsible for processing web content and is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition. The flaw manifests when WebKit processes maliciously crafted web content, creating a scenario where remote attackers can exploit memory corruption to execute arbitrary code or trigger application crashes. The vulnerability specifically impacts iOS versions prior to 10.3.2 and Safari versions before 10.1.1, indicating that the flaw was present in the WebKit engine's memory management and input validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through carefully constructed web pages that leverage memory corruption techniques to gain unauthorized code execution privileges. Attackers can craft malicious websites that when loaded in Safari or iOS web browsers trigger buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions within the WebKit engine. These conditions can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the compromised browser process, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security boundaries and access sensitive system resources. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include denial of service conditions that can crash the affected applications, making it a significant threat to user security and system stability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for users of affected Apple devices since it enables remote code execution without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The attack surface is broad given that WebKit is used across multiple Apple platforms and applications, including Safari, Mail, and various built-in browser components. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.006 for command and script interpreter, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of their threat modeling efforts, particularly in environments where users may encounter untrusted web content or where Apple devices are used for sensitive operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-2514 primarily involve applying the official security patches released by Apple as part of iOS 10.3.2 and Safari 10.1.1 updates. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to ensure all affected devices receive the necessary updates. Network administrators can deploy web filtering solutions and browser security extensions to block access to known malicious domains, though this approach provides only partial protection since the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors. Additional protective measures include enabling sandboxing features within the browser, restricting user privileges, and implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and highlights the critical nature of browser security in protecting against sophisticated remote exploitation techniques.