CVE-2017-6983 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. 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 web site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-6983 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's SQLite database implementation that affected multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 10.3.2 and macOS versions prior to 10.12.5. This vulnerability resides within the SQLite component that Apple integrates into their mobile and desktop platforms, specifically impacting how the database engine processes certain malformed inputs. The flaw manifests when malicious web content attempts to exploit improper memory handling within the SQLite library, creating a pathway for remote code execution or system instability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 as an out-of-bounds read condition that occurs during database query processing, where the SQLite engine fails to properly validate input parameters before attempting memory allocation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through web-based attack vectors where malicious actors craft specially designed web pages that trigger the vulnerable SQLite processing code. When a user visits such a malicious website, the browser engine interacts with the underlying SQLite database component to process database queries contained within the page's content. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate memory structures through crafted database inputs that cause buffer overflows or memory corruption within the SQLite engine's memory management routines. This memory corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application or cause denial of service conditions that result in application crashes and system instability. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of web browsing and database processing, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-6983 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full system compromise through remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code on affected systems without requiring physical access or user interaction beyond web browsing. The memory corruption issues can cause unpredictable behavior including system hangs, application crashes, or even complete system instability that may require manual restarts. Organizations using affected Apple products face significant risk as this vulnerability can be exploited through standard web browsing activities, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users regularly access untrusted web content. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers can target users from anywhere on the internet without requiring any specialized access to the target network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-6983 focus primarily on updating affected systems to the patched versions of iOS and macOS that address the SQLite memory handling issues. Apple released security updates for iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5 that correct the memory corruption vulnerabilities within the SQLite implementation. System administrators should prioritize immediate deployment of these updates across all affected devices within their environments. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious websites, enabling sandboxing technologies that limit the impact of potential exploitation, and monitoring for unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify traffic patterns associated with exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for application execution through web browsers underscores the importance of browser security controls and regular security assessments to prevent successful exploitation of such remote code execution vulnerabilities.