CVE-2017-7124 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13 is affected. The issue involves the third-party "file" product. Versions before 5.30 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7124 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS ecosystem that affected versions prior to 10.13. This issue specifically targets the third-party file utility component, which serves as a fundamental system tool for identifying file types and formats across various operating systems. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the file command implementation, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through crafted file inputs. The affected file utility version 5.30 contained a buffer overflow condition that could be triggered when processing specially crafted file data structures, leading to unpredictable system behavior and potential security implications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a buffer overflow attack pattern that aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions. When the vulnerable file utility processes malicious input, it fails to properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into fixed-length buffers, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This memory corruption can result in application crashes, system instability, and potentially more severe consequences depending on the execution context. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be executed remotely through network-based file transfers or malicious file attachments, making it accessible to attackers without requiring local system access.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7124 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the vulnerability could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the ATT&CK framework's execution and privilege escalation categories. While the primary effect manifests as application crashes and system instability, the underlying buffer overflow condition creates opportunities for attackers to execute arbitrary code or manipulate system processes. Organizations running affected macOS versions face significant risks, particularly in enterprise environments where file processing is common and automated systems may be vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that even systems not directly connected to the internet could be compromised if they process files from external sources or receive network-based file transfers.
System administrators and security professionals should prioritize immediate patching of affected macOS installations to mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability. Apple's release of macOS 10.13 included necessary updates to address the file utility buffer overflow, making it essential for organizations to implement these security updates across their fleets. Additional mitigation strategies should include network segmentation to limit file processing capabilities, implementation of file validation policies, and monitoring for unusual file processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of third-party software security within operating system ecosystems, as the file utility component represents a fundamental system service that many applications depend upon for proper functionality. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management solutions to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all affected systems.