CVE-2017-7093 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11 is affected. Safari before 11 is affected. iCloud before 7.0 on Windows is affected. iTunes before 12.7 on Windows is affected. tvOS before 11 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 • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7093 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 responsible for rendering web content across iOS, macOS, tvOS, and Windows applications. The affected versions include iOS before 11.0, Safari before 11.0, iCloud before 7.0 on Windows, iTunes before 12.7 on Windows, and tvOS before 11.0, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically targets the WebKit component which serves as the foundation for web content processing in Apple's browsers and applications, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit web-based attack vectors.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine execution environment, creating conditions where malicious web content can trigger memory corruption errors. Attackers can craft specially designed web pages that, when loaded in affected browsers or applications, cause memory allocation issues that result in arbitrary code execution capabilities or application crashes. This memory corruption occurs during the processing of specific web content patterns, particularly those involving JavaScript and web rendering operations that bypass normal memory safety checks. The flaw operates at a low level within the browser's memory management system, allowing attackers to manipulate memory addresses and execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected application.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7093 is severe and multifaceted, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to compromise user devices without requiring any user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including phishing emails, compromised websites, or malicious advertisements that deliver the crafted web content. The potential for arbitrary code execution means that attackers could gain full control over affected devices, potentially leading to data theft, persistent backdoor installation, or further network infiltration. Additionally, the denial of service component of this vulnerability can be used to disrupt services by causing applications to crash repeatedly, creating availability issues for users and potentially enabling more sophisticated attack patterns.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including prompt application of Apple's security updates and patches released for each affected platform. Organizations should consider network-level protections such as web filtering solutions that can block access to known malicious domains and implement browser hardening measures to limit the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in memory management, and corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution. Regular security monitoring and endpoint detection should be implemented to identify potential exploitation attempts, while user education programs should emphasize the importance of avoiding untrusted websites and email attachments. System administrators should also consider implementing sandboxing measures and privilege separation to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.