CVE-2017-2519 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3.2 is affected. macOS before 10.12.5 is affected. tvOS before 10.2.1 is affected. watchOS before 3.2.2 is affected. The issue involves the "SQLite" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted SQL statement.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2519 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's SQLite database implementation across multiple operating systems. This issue affects iOS versions prior to 10.3.2, macOS versions prior to 10.12.5, tvOS versions prior to 10.2.1, and watchOS versions prior to 3.2.2, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw within Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically resides within the SQLite database component that Apple incorporates into their operating systems, making it a foundational security concern that impacts numerous applications and services running on these platforms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through crafted SQL statements that trigger memory corruption within the SQLite implementation. This memory corruption leads to unpredictable behavior that can manifest as arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions resulting in application crashes. The flaw operates at a low-level database processing stage where malformed SQL input is not properly validated or sanitized before being processed by the underlying SQLite engine. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.008 for 'Command and Scripting Interpreter: SQL Injection', though the specific implementation causes memory corruption rather than direct command execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2519 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable remote code execution capabilities that could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to affected systems. Mobile devices running vulnerable iOS versions, desktop computers with affected macOS installations, and other Apple devices with vulnerable tvOS or watchOS versions could all become compromised through carefully crafted SQL injection attacks. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to devices or network proximity to potentially compromise systems, making it particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users frequently interact with untrusted content and services.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to address this vulnerability, as the potential for remote code execution makes it a high-priority concern for organizations and individual users alike. The remediation process involves updating to the patched versions of Apple's operating systems, which include fixed implementations of the SQLite database component that properly handle malformed SQL statements. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider temporary network restrictions on systems that cannot be immediately updated. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of database security in mobile and desktop environments, where applications often process untrusted data through database interfaces, and highlights the need for robust input validation and memory safety practices in database engine implementations.