CVE-2017-7071 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. Safari before 10.1 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.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7071 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected Safari browsers prior to version 10.1. This vulnerability resides in the core component responsible for processing and displaying web content, making it a fundamental attack vector for malicious actors seeking to compromise user systems. The flaw manifests as a memory corruption issue that can be triggered through carefully crafted web pages, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems or cause application crashes that result in denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically targets the WebKit component which serves as the foundation for Safari's web browsing capabilities and is also utilized by other Apple applications and services that rely on web content rendering.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under memory corruption patterns that are commonly categorized as CWE-125, which represents "Out-of-bounds Read" and related memory corruption issues. Attackers can exploit this weakness by hosting malicious web content that, when loaded in Safari, triggers improper memory handling within the WebKit engine. The exploitation process typically involves crafting web pages with malformed data structures or buffer overflows that cause the browser to access memory locations outside of intended boundaries. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be delivered through standard web browsing activities, requiring no special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a compromised website. The memory corruption can lead to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, data corruption, or potentially full system compromise depending on the execution context and memory layout.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for users of affected Safari versions as it enables remote code execution capabilities that could be leveraged for various malicious purposes. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to install malware, steal sensitive information, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. The vulnerability affects a broad user base since Safari is the default browser on iOS and macOS devices, making it a prime target for widespread exploitation campaigns. Security researchers have noted that this type of vulnerability is particularly challenging to defend against because it operates at the browser engine level, making traditional network-based security controls ineffective. The attack surface is extensive as any web content loaded through Safari could potentially trigger the vulnerability, including emails, web applications, and social media content that users might encounter during normal browsing activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7071 primarily focus on updating to patched versions of Safari and the underlying WebKit engine. Apple released Safari 10.1 and subsequent updates that address this vulnerability through memory management improvements and input validation controls. Organizations should implement immediate patch management protocols to ensure all affected systems receive the necessary security updates. Additional defensive measures include implementing web filtering solutions, disabling JavaScript in restricted environments, and employing browser sandboxing techniques to limit potential exploitation impacts. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual browser behavior or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network-based intrusion detection systems can be configured to identify malicious web content patterns associated with known exploit signatures. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and demonstrates how core browser components represent high-value targets for attackers, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for Exploitation for Client Execution. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that systems are properly patched and that no legacy components remain vulnerable to similar memory corruption issues.