CVE-2017-7074 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13 is affected. The issue involves the "AppSandbox" component. It allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7074 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13. This issue resides within the AppSandbox component, which serves as a fundamental security mechanism designed to isolate applications from system resources and other applications. The AppSandbox functionality operates under the principle of least privilege, restricting applications from accessing files, network resources, or system components without explicit permission. However, this particular vulnerability creates a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the sandboxing mechanism itself to cause unintended system behavior.
The technical flaw manifests through a crafted application that can manipulate the AppSandbox restrictions in ways that were not anticipated by the original design. This allows attackers to bypass the intended security boundaries that should prevent applications from accessing unauthorized resources or performing operations that could destabilize the system. The vulnerability specifically targets the sandbox enforcement logic, enabling attackers to craft applications that can cause the system to crash or become unresponsive, effectively creating a denial of service condition. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the security model where the very mechanism designed to protect the system becomes a vector for system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to macOS users and organizations relying on Apple's security architecture. The denial of service impact can affect system availability and user productivity, potentially disrupting critical business operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create persistent disruptions by deploying malicious applications that exploit the sandbox bypass mechanism. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at a foundational level within the operating system, making it difficult to detect and remediate without proper system updates. The attack vector requires the user to install and execute a crafted application, but once executed, the vulnerability can cause system-wide instability that affects all running processes.
The security implications extend beyond simple denial of service, as this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the sandboxing architecture's integrity. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and potentially CWE-119, which deals with weak buffer access control. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under T1499, which covers network denial of service attacks, and T1059, which involves command and scripting interpreters. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including prompt deployment of macOS 10.13 updates or later versions, along with monitoring for suspicious application installations and execution patterns. Additionally, security teams should review existing application whitelisting policies and consider enhanced endpoint detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current security patches and demonstrates that even fundamental security components like sandboxing can contain implementation flaws that require continuous vigilance and updating.