CVE-2017-2527 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.12.5 is affected. The issue involves the "CoreAnimation" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory consumption and application crash) via crafted data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2527 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's CoreAnimation framework affecting macOS versions prior to 10.12.5. This component serves as a fundamental graphics rendering system that manages animations and visual effects in macOS applications, making it a prime target for exploitation due to its widespread use across the operating system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the CoreAnimation subsystem, specifically when processing malformed or crafted data structures that are typically encountered during animation rendering operations.
The technical nature of this flaw allows remote attackers to exploit memory handling inconsistencies within the CoreAnimation framework through the injection of specially crafted data payloads. When legitimate applications process these malformed inputs, the vulnerability manifests as unpredictable memory behavior that can result in either arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions. The memory consumption aspect of the vulnerability can lead to system instability and application crashes, while the arbitrary code execution capability provides attackers with the potential to gain unauthorized control over affected systems. This vulnerability operates at a low level within the graphics rendering pipeline, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through normal application usage scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-2527 extends beyond simple system instability to encompass significant security risks for macOS users. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to compromise systems remotely without requiring physical access or user interaction beyond normal application usage, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.1001 for execution through scripting and T1499.004 for network denial of service. The vulnerability's presence in CoreAnimation means that any application utilizing this framework for graphical rendering could potentially serve as an attack vector, creating a broad attack surface that includes both native macOS applications and third-party software. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for enterprise environments where multiple applications may be simultaneously exposed to the same risk.
Organizations and individual users should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to macOS 10.12.5 or later versions that contain the necessary security patches. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider restricting access to applications that heavily utilize CoreAnimation components until full patch coverage is achieved. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-129 indicates improper input validation, while its exploitation patterns align with ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and execution through legitimate system processes. Additional mitigations include implementing application sandboxing policies and maintaining comprehensive system monitoring to detect anomalous memory consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.