CVE-2017-7078 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11 is affected. macOS before 10.13 is affected. The issue involves the "Mail Drafts" component. It allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by reading unintended cleartext transmissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7078 represents a significant security flaw within Apple's email infrastructure affecting multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 11 and macOS versions before 10.13. This issue specifically targets the Mail Drafts functionality which is a core component of Apple's email applications across their ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of email draft data during transmission processes, creating an unintended information disclosure channel that could be exploited by remote attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the way Apple's Mail application manages draft email data when establishing network connections for synchronization or transmission purposes. The flaw manifests when draft emails are processed through network protocols where sensitive information becomes inadvertently exposed in cleartext format within network packets. This occurs due to insufficient encryption or data sanitization measures during the draft processing lifecycle, allowing attackers positioned on the network to intercept and read information that should remain protected. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the network stack and specifically impacts how draft data is serialized and transmitted over network connections.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7078 extends beyond simple information disclosure as it potentially exposes sensitive user data including personal communications, business correspondence, and other confidential information contained within email drafts. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain access to private communications, personal details, and potentially business-sensitive information without requiring authentication or physical access to the affected devices. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the network, making it particularly dangerous for users who frequently access email services from public networks or untrusted connections. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a clear violation of data confidentiality principles.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including prompt deployment of Apple's security patches for iOS 11 and macOS 10.13, along with network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional network security controls such as deep packet inspection and encryption enforcement to minimize the risk of exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and data handling in email applications, particularly when dealing with temporary or draft data that may contain sensitive information. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and information discovery, as it enables adversaries to obtain sensitive information that could be used for further attacks or social engineering campaigns.