CVE-2017-7120 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-2017-7120 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 applications across various operating systems. The flaw 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. The WebKit component serves as the foundation for web content rendering across Apple's ecosystem, making this vulnerability particularly concerning given its widespread impact across multiple application domains.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine, specifically in how it processes certain web content structures. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious websites that trigger memory corruption conditions when rendered by the affected applications. The flaw manifests as a buffer overflow or heap corruption scenario that occurs during the execution of JavaScript code or when processing complex web page elements. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions. The memory corruption can occur through various vectors including malformed HTML, JavaScript, or CSS elements that are processed by WebKit's rendering engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. This means that users visiting compromised websites could have their devices compromised without any user interaction beyond normal web browsing activities. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited through phishing campaigns, malicious advertisements, or compromised legitimate websites. The attack surface is particularly broad given that WebKit is used across multiple Apple platforms and applications, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to maximize their exploitation potential. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through web-based attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7120 primarily involve immediate software updates and patches provided by Apple to address the memory corruption issues within WebKit. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Apple products to their latest versions, including iOS 11 or later, Safari 11 or later, iCloud 7.0 or later on Windows, iTunes 12.7 or later on Windows, and tvOS 11 or later. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions to block access to known malicious domains and monitor for suspicious web traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of keeping their software updated. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all platform components and highlights the need for continuous monitoring of security advisories from vendors. Regular security assessments should include verification of WebKit component versions and implementation of layered security controls to protect against similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that may emerge in the future.