CVE-2017-7010 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3.3 is affected. macOS before 10.12.6 is affected. iCloud before 6.2.2 on Windows is affected. iTunes before 12.6.2 on Windows is affected. tvOS before 10.2.2 is affected. The issue involves the "libxml2" component. It allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information or cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds read and application crash) via a crafted XML file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7010 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's software ecosystem that affects multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, iCloud, iTunes, and tvOS. This issue stems from the libxml2 component, a widely-used XML parsing library that forms the foundation for processing XML data across numerous applications and operating systems. The vulnerability specifically manifests as an out-of-bounds read condition that can be exploited by remote attackers through the careful crafting of XML files, potentially leading to information disclosure or application crashes that disrupt normal system operation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it squarely within the CWE-125 category of "Out-of-bounds Read" as defined by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, where the libxml2 library fails to properly validate array indices when processing malformed XML content. This flaw allows attackers to manipulate the XML parser into reading memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as it can also trigger application crashes through the out-of-bounds read conditions that cause the targeted applications to terminate unexpectedly.
The operational implications of CVE-2017-7010 are significant across Apple's ecosystem, particularly given the widespread use of affected software versions. Mobile devices running iOS versions prior to 10.3.3, desktop systems with macOS versions before 10.12.6, and Windows systems utilizing iCloud 6.2.1 or earlier, as well as iTunes 12.6.1 or earlier, all remain exposed to potential exploitation. The attack surface expands further to tvOS versions before 10.2.2, affecting Apple TV devices that process XML content through the vulnerable libxml2 library. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for XML and JSON data processing, where adversaries exploit parsing libraries to gain unauthorized access to system information or disrupt services.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in security-critical components. Attackers can craft malicious XML files that, when processed by vulnerable applications, trigger the out-of-bounds read conditions and potentially extract sensitive data from memory. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be leveraged for information gathering attacks where adversaries might extract cryptographic keys, user credentials, or other sensitive system information stored in memory. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability presents additional risks, as it can be used to disrupt legitimate service availability by causing applications to crash repeatedly.
Apple's response to this vulnerability involved releasing security updates that patched the libxml2 component across all affected platforms. The remediation efforts required careful attention to ensure that the fix maintained backward compatibility while addressing the underlying memory access issues. Organizations should prioritize the immediate deployment of these security updates across all affected systems and consider implementing additional monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of regularly updating third-party libraries and components, as the libxml2 library's widespread adoption across multiple platforms means that a single vulnerability can have cascading effects throughout the software ecosystem. Security teams should also implement proper input sanitization measures and consider network-based detection mechanisms to identify and block potentially malicious XML content before it can be processed by vulnerable applications.