CVE-2017-6977 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.12.5 is affected. The issue involves the "Speech Framework" component. It allows attackers to conduct sandbox-escape attacks or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6977 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.12.5. This issue resides within the Speech Framework component, which serves as a core system interface for speech recognition and synthesis capabilities. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and memory handling within the framework's processing mechanisms, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by malicious actors to compromise system security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows attackers to execute sandbox escape attacks, effectively bypassing the security boundaries that normally isolate applications from system resources. This occurs through the manipulation of crafted applications that exploit memory corruption issues within the Speech Framework. The flaw enables adversaries to gain elevated privileges and access system resources that should normally be restricted to prevent unauthorized operations. The vulnerability specifically affects how the framework processes speech data and handles memory allocation, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious code or manipulate system behavior.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to macOS environments as it can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution within the system context. The potential for denial of service attacks through memory corruption means that legitimate applications could be disrupted or crashed, while the sandbox escape capability allows attackers to access sensitive system information and potentially escalate privileges. Organizations running affected macOS versions face increased risk of unauthorized access, data compromise, and system instability. The impact extends beyond individual users to enterprise environments where macOS devices may serve as targets for sophisticated attacks.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-6977 centers primarily on updating to macOS version 10.12.5 or later, which includes patches addressing the memory handling issues within the Speech Framework. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected devices and verify successful installation through system configuration management tools. Additional protective measures include monitoring for suspicious application behavior and implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted speech processing applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper restriction of operations within a memory buffer, and represents a technique consistent with ATT&CK tactic T1059 for executing malicious code through legitimate system processes. Organizations should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence regarding similar vulnerabilities in system frameworks.