CVE-2017-7094 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.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7094 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple platforms and applications. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component that powers Safari, iCloud, iTunes, and tvOS interfaces across various operating systems. The flaw specifically manifests in how WebKit processes certain web content, creating opportunities for remote code execution or denial of service conditions that can compromise system integrity and user security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers can craft malicious websites that exploit memory corruption issues when the affected applications process web content, leading to unpredictable behavior including application crashes, memory corruption, or potentially full system compromise. This type of vulnerability typically falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, or CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations, both of which are common in memory corruption vulnerabilities. The exploitability of such flaws aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for execution through web-based attacks targeting browser components.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7094 extends across Apple's ecosystem, affecting users of iOS versions prior to 11, Safari versions before 11, iCloud versions before 7.0 on Windows, iTunes versions before 12.7 on Windows, and tvOS versions before 11. This widespread exposure means that users across multiple device categories and platforms face potential compromise, with attackers able to leverage the vulnerability through standard web browsing activities. The remote nature of the attack vector eliminates the need for physical access or local privileges, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise and individual users alike.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to the patched versions of affected Apple software, which typically include memory safety improvements and code sanitization measures within the WebKit component. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure all affected applications are updated promptly. Security teams should also consider implementing browser hardening measures, including sandboxing configurations and restricted browsing environments, to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all system components, particularly those handling untrusted web content.