CVE-2017-7100 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-2017-7100 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit component that affects multiple operating systems and applications. This security issue resides in the core web rendering engine that powers Safari browsers and integrated web views across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically impacts 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 prior to 11. The WebKit component serves as the foundation for web content processing and rendering across these platforms, making this flaw particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through standard web browsing activities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine and rendering components. Attackers can craft malicious web pages that trigger memory corruption conditions when processed by the affected browsers or applications. These crafted websites can contain specially designed JavaScript code or HTML elements that exploit buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory management flaws within the WebKit implementation. The memory corruption typically occurs during the parsing, rendering, or execution phases of web content processing, where the engine fails to properly validate input data or manage allocated memory regions. This flaw falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions, both of which are common categories for memory corruption vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7100 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full remote code execution capabilities. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems without user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise and personal users alike. The memory corruption can result in unpredictable application behavior, system instability, and potential privilege escalation opportunities. In the context of the attack lifecycle defined by MITRE ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.007 for JavaScript execution and T1068 for local privilege escalation, representing both initial access vectors and potential exploitation paths. The vulnerability's widespread impact across Apple's product portfolio means that users across multiple platforms and applications are at risk, creating a significant attack surface for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7100 require immediate system updates and security hardening measures. Apple released patches for iOS 11, Safari 11, and corresponding versions of iCloud and iTunes to address this vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these security updates across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where multiple users may be accessing potentially malicious web content. Network administrators should implement web filtering solutions and browser security policies to reduce exposure, while users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites. Additional protective measures include enabling sandboxing features, restricting JavaScript execution in web browsers, and implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of keeping web browsers and operating systems updated, as it demonstrates how flaws in core components can affect entire application ecosystems. Security teams should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools to identify systems running outdated versions of affected software components, ensuring comprehensive coverage across all Apple products within their environments.