CVE-2017-7055 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3.3 is affected. Safari before 10.1.2 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 "WebKit" 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.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7055 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple operating systems and applications. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component that powers Safari browsers and embedded web views across Apple's ecosystem, making it particularly dangerous as it could be exploited through web-based attacks without requiring user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The affected versions include iOS 10.3.2 and earlier, Safari 10.1.1 and earlier, iCloud 6.2.1 and earlier on Windows, iTunes 12.6.1 and earlier on Windows, and tvOS 10.2.1 and earlier, demonstrating the widespread impact across Apple's product portfolio.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine implementation, specifically in how it processes certain web content structures. Attackers could craft malicious websites that, when loaded in affected browsers, would trigger memory corruption conditions that could lead to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. This type of vulnerability typically manifests through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management errors that allow attackers to manipulate program execution flow. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the browser's memory management system, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through traditional security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7055 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to represent a significant threat to user security and system integrity. Remote attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code on targeted systems without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website, making it particularly dangerous for phishing campaigns and targeted attacks. The vulnerability's presence across multiple platforms including mobile iOS devices, desktop operating systems, and embedded systems like Apple TV creates a broad attack surface that could be exploited against various user demographics. Security researchers have classified this vulnerability under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and it aligns with ATT&CK techniques for privilege escalation and code execution through web-based attacks. The memory corruption nature of the flaw means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or maintain persistent access to affected systems.
Apple addressed this vulnerability through the release of security updates for all affected platforms, including iOS 10.3.3, Safari 10.1.2, iCloud 6.2.2, iTunes 12.6.2, and tvOS 10.2.2. Organizations and users should immediately apply these updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping web browsers and operating systems updated, as WebKit-based vulnerabilities can provide attackers with direct paths to system compromise. Security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability and implement network-based protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering systems to detect and block malicious web traffic. The incident also highlights the need for robust memory safety practices in browser development and the importance of regular security audits of core components that handle untrusted input from web sources.