CVE-2017-5545 in libimobiledevice
Summary
by MITRE
The main function in plistutil.c in libimobiledevice libplist through 1.12 allows attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory or cause a denial of service (buffer over-read) via Apple Property List data that is too short.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/14/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5545 resides within the libimobiledevice library's libplist component, specifically in the main function of plistutil.c. This critical flaw affects versions through 1.12 and represents a buffer over-read condition that can be exploited through malformed Apple Property List data. The vulnerability occurs when the library processes property list files that are insufficiently sized, creating a scenario where the application attempts to read beyond the allocated memory boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and memory safety issues commonly classified as CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to information disclosure or system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves crafting malicious Apple Property List data that is intentionally short or malformed, causing the plistutil.c function to access memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries. When the library attempts to parse such data, it reads past the end of the allocated memory segment, potentially exposing sensitive information from adjacent memory regions or causing the application to crash due to access violations. This behavior constitutes a denial of service condition that can be reliably triggered by any attacker who can influence the input to the affected library functions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the parsing level of property list data structures, which are commonly used in mobile device communication protocols and system administration tools.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5545 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the buffer over-read condition can potentially expose confidential information from process memory. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can extract sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, user credentials, or system configuration details that may be stored in adjacent memory locations. This information disclosure capability significantly increases the risk profile of the vulnerability, especially when the affected library is used in security-critical applications or system management tools. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on libimobiledevice for iOS device communication, including forensic analysis tools, mobile device management systems, and various development utilities that process Apple property list files.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on upgrading to patched versions of libimobiledevice where the buffer over-read condition has been addressed through proper input validation and bounds checking. System administrators should prioritize updating their installations of libplist and libimobiledevice to versions that contain the necessary security patches, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely through property list data processing. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and validation measures within applications that utilize this library can help reduce the attack surface. From an operational security perspective, organizations should consider monitoring for unusual memory access patterns or crashes that may indicate exploitation attempts, while also implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of systems that process untrusted property list data. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application execution and T1566 for malicious file delivery highlights the importance of defensive measures against both direct exploitation and indirect attack vectors that may leverage this weakness in broader attack chains.