CVE-2017-2526 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2526 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple iOS and Safari versions prior to their respective security updates. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component responsible for processing and rendering web content across Apple's ecosystem, making it a prime target for remote exploitation by malicious actors. The flaw specifically impacts iOS versions before 10.3.2 and Safari versions before 10.1.1, indicating that the vulnerability existed for an extended period before remediation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine, where crafted web content can trigger memory corruption conditions that lead to arbitrary code execution or application crashes. Attackers can leverage this flaw by hosting malicious web pages that, when loaded in Safari or iOS web browsers, exploit the underlying memory management issues to gain unauthorized control over affected systems. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through normal web browsing activities without any user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2526 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems. This remote code execution vulnerability creates significant risk for users who browse the internet regularly, as the attack vector requires no special privileges or physical access to the target device. The memory corruption aspect of the flaw means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or maintain persistent access to affected devices. The vulnerability's presence in WebKit also means that it affects not just Safari but any application that relies on Apple's web rendering capabilities.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007, which covers scripting languages such as JavaScript, as the flaw specifically targets JavaScript execution within the browser environment. The remediation strategy involves immediate deployment of Apple's security updates, including iOS 10.3.2 and Safari 10.1.1, which address the memory corruption issues through improved bounds checking and memory management routines. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability's remote nature makes it particularly suitable for large-scale attacks. Additionally, browser security configurations should be reviewed to ensure that users are not inadvertently exposed to unpatched systems that remain vulnerable to this and similar memory corruption attacks.