CVE-2017-7013 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. watchOS before 3.2.3 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-2017-7013 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's software ecosystem that affects multiple operating systems and applications. This issue resides within the libxml2 component, a widely-used XML parsing library that forms the foundation for processing structured data across numerous applications and platforms. 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 system instability. The affected Apple products span across iOS, macOS, iCloud, iTunes, tvOS, and watchOS platforms, demonstrating the widespread impact of this particular flaw. The vulnerability affects iOS versions prior to 10.3.3, macOS versions prior to 10.12.6, iCloud for Windows versions prior to 6.2.2, iTunes for Windows versions prior to 12.6.2, tvOS versions prior to 10.2.2, and watchOS versions prior to 3.2.3, indicating that the flaw has persisted across multiple software families and release cycles.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where programs access memory locations beyond the bounds of allocated buffers. When libxml2 processes a malformed XML file, the parser fails to properly validate input boundaries, allowing an attacker to craft XML content that triggers memory access violations. This particular implementation flaw enables attackers to manipulate the XML parsing process in such a way that memory is read from unauthorized locations, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability also manifests as a denial of service condition where the application crash occurs due to the parser encountering unexpected data structures that it cannot properly handle. This dual nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged for both information extraction and system disruption attacks, with potential implications for user privacy and system availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7013 extends beyond simple technical disruption to encompass broader security implications for Apple users and organizations relying on these platforms. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data that might be stored in memory regions accessible through the out-of-bounds read, potentially including user credentials, personal information, or application-specific data. The denial of service aspect creates opportunities for attackers to disrupt legitimate services by causing applications to crash repeatedly, leading to user frustration and potential business interruption. Given that libxml2 is integrated into numerous Apple applications and services, the attack surface is extensive, potentially allowing threat actors to target multiple entry points through a single vulnerability. This vulnerability also demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and boundary checking in security-critical components, as the flaw exists in a library that is fundamental to XML processing across various applications and platforms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7013 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to ensure that all vulnerable Apple products are updated to their respective secure versions. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts through malformed XML content and establish incident response procedures to address any successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of third-party libraries and components, particularly those handling untrusted input data. Security teams should consider implementing XML validation policies and sandboxing mechanisms to limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities in the future. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar out-of-bounds read conditions in other software components, as this type of vulnerability remains prevalent in many applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under software vulnerabilities and privilege escalation techniques, emphasizing the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against such exploitation methods.