CVE-2017-7117 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 • 06/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7117 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affects multiple Apple platforms and applications. This issue resides in the core web browsing component responsible for processing and displaying web content across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability specifically impacts iOS versions prior to 11.0, Safari versions before 11.0, iCloud versions before 7.0 on Windows, iTunes versions before 12.7 on Windows, and tvOS versions prior to 11.0, demonstrating the widespread nature of the flaw across Apple's product portfolio. The WebKit component serves as the foundation for web content rendering in Apple's browsers and applications, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited through malicious websites that users might encounter during normal browsing activities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within the WebKit engine that allows remote attackers to manipulate memory structures through specially crafted web pages. When users visit compromised websites, the malicious code can trigger memory corruption conditions that lead to arbitrary code execution capabilities or cause applications to crash and become unavailable. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-119 category of "Improper Access to Memory Location" and represents a classic buffer overflow or memory corruption exploit that can be leveraged to gain unauthorized system access or cause system instability. The attack vector requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous as users may unknowingly expose themselves to exploitation through routine web browsing activities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7117 extends beyond simple application crashes to potentially enable full system compromise through arbitrary code execution. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install malware, steal sensitive information, or gain persistent access to affected systems. The memory corruption allows for potential privilege escalation scenarios where attackers can execute code with elevated system privileges, while the denial of service component can be used to disrupt legitimate user activities or create persistent availability issues. From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability affects Apple's threat model significantly as it undermines the security isolation between web content and system resources, creating potential pathways for lateral movement within affected environments. The vulnerability also impacts Apple's reputation and customer trust, as users expect their devices to be secure from web-based attacks, and the widespread nature of the affected platforms increases the potential attack surface considerably.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7117 primarily focus on immediate system updates and patches provided by Apple to address the underlying WebKit memory corruption issues. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Apple platforms to their latest supported versions, including iOS 11.0 and later, Safari 11.0 and later, iCloud 7.0 and later, iTunes 12.7 and later, and tvOS 11.0 and later. Network administrators should implement web content filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and employ browser hardening techniques that restrict potentially dangerous web content. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual application crashes or memory usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to exploitation of web browsers and memory corruption attacks, making it important for security teams to monitor for indicators of compromise that might suggest successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, user education regarding safe browsing practices and the risks of visiting untrusted websites remains critical in reducing the likelihood of successful exploitation, particularly in enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious content through various attack vectors including phishing campaigns or compromised websites.