CVE-2017-7096 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-2017-7096 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affected multiple Apple platforms including iOS versions prior to 11, Safari browsers before version 11, iCloud applications on Windows before version 7.0, iTunes software on Windows before version 12.7, and tvOS before version 11. This vulnerability resides in the core web rendering component that processes and displays web content across Apple's ecosystem, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities without requiring any special privileges or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website. The flaw specifically manifests as a memory corruption issue that can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions, creating a significant attack surface that threat actors could leverage to compromise affected systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine and rendering components, which allows attackers to craft malicious web pages that trigger buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions when the affected browsers process the crafted content. This type of memory corruption vulnerability typically occurs when applications fail to properly validate input data or when they access memory locations that have already been freed or reallocated, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate program execution flow. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common precursors to arbitrary code execution exploits. The attack vectors leverage the standard web browsing paradigm where users visit compromised websites, making this vulnerability particularly insidious as it requires no specialized knowledge or tools beyond creating a malicious web page that triggers the memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7096 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable full system compromise through remote code execution capabilities. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application, which in web browser contexts typically means the attacker can gain access to user data, install malware, modify system settings, or perform other malicious activities. The widespread nature of the affected platforms means that the potential attack surface is enormous, encompassing millions of iOS devices, Windows computers running Apple software, and Apple TV systems. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1203 for exploitation for client execution, as attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code through web-based attack vectors. The memory corruption aspect also creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks, where attackers can potentially elevate their access rights to system-level privileges, particularly on devices with less restrictive security models.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7096 primarily focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by Apple to address the underlying memory corruption issues within WebKit. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating all affected Apple platforms to their latest versions, including iOS 11 and later, Safari 11 and later, iCloud 7.0 and later on Windows, iTunes 12.7 and later on Windows, and tvOS 11 and later. Additionally, network-level security measures such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions can help block access to known malicious domains that may host exploit code. Browser hardening techniques including disabling JavaScript for untrusted sites, implementing sandboxing measures, and using security plugins can provide additional layers of protection. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual network traffic patterns or system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, while endpoint protection solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious process execution patterns that could indicate successful exploitation of the memory corruption vulnerability. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining current software versions and implementing comprehensive patch management programs across all affected systems to prevent successful exploitation attempts.