CVE-2017-7001 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 • 02/08/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7001 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's SQLite database component that affected multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 10.3.2 and macOS versions prior to 10.12.5. This vulnerability falls under the category of memory corruption issues that can be exploited through web-based attack vectors, demonstrating the interconnected nature of database security within mobile and desktop operating systems. The flaw specifically resides in how SQLite processes certain malformed data structures, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate memory contents through crafted web content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory allocation and data processing within the SQLite library that Apple incorporates into their operating systems. When a web page containing maliciously crafted SQL statements or database structures is loaded, the vulnerable SQLite component fails to properly validate input data, leading to buffer overflows or memory corruption conditions. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities. The memory corruption occurs during the parsing and execution of database operations that are triggered by web content, making the attack surface particularly broad given the widespread use of web browsers and web-based applications.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7001 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full remote code execution capabilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in threat landscapes where users may encounter compromised web content through phishing campaigns, malicious advertisements, or compromised websites. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including cross-site scripting scenarios and web-based attacks that specifically target the SQLite processing engine. The potential for denial of service combined with remote code execution capabilities places this vulnerability in the high-risk category according to standard threat assessment methodologies.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7001 primarily focus on applying the official security updates released by Apple, which include iOS 10.3.2 and macOS 10.12.5. These updates contain patches that address the memory corruption issues within the SQLite component by implementing proper input validation and memory management controls. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these security patches across all affected systems, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without user interaction. Network security controls such as web filtering and content inspection systems may provide additional protective layers, though they cannot fully compensate for the underlying memory corruption flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping database components updated and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of third-party libraries integrated into operating systems. Security professionals should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain awareness of related vulnerabilities in similar database components that may present comparable risks.