CVE-2017-7148 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11 is affected. The issue involves the "Location Framework" component. It allows attackers to obtain sensitive location information via a crafted app that reads the location variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7148 represents a significant security flaw within Apple's iOS operating system affecting versions prior to iOS 11. This weakness resides within the Location Framework component, which serves as a critical subsystem responsible for managing location services and location data processing across the device. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of location data within the framework, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious applications to access sensitive location information through crafted applications designed specifically to read location variables. This issue demonstrates a fundamental failure in the system's access control mechanisms and data validation processes, potentially exposing users to privacy violations and location-based tracking risks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way the Location Framework handles location data variables, particularly when third-party applications attempt to read location information from the system. Attackers can craft malicious applications that manipulate the location framework's data handling mechanisms to extract sensitive location data that should normally be protected or restricted. This flaw operates at the system level rather than being limited to specific applications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited across multiple applications and services that rely on location data. The vulnerability essentially allows for unauthorized access to location information that would typically be protected by the system's security model, creating a path for persistent location tracking without user knowledge or consent.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7148 extends beyond simple privacy concerns to encompass potential security risks including location-based attacks, tracking of user movements, and exposure of sensitive personal information. This vulnerability can be exploited by malicious actors to build comprehensive profiles of user behavior, movement patterns, and location preferences without the user's awareness. The attack vector involves installing a crafted application that leverages the system's location framework to access data that should be restricted to authorized applications only. This represents a significant bypass of the system's security architecture, potentially enabling location-based attacks, targeted advertising, or even physical security risks through precise location tracking capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to iOS 11 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper validation mechanisms and access controls within the Location Framework. Users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest iOS version to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, security professionals should monitor for applications that may attempt to exploit this weakness and implement network-level monitoring to detect suspicious location data access patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a failure in proper access control mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques related to privilege escalation and information gathering through system-level access, potentially enabling adversaries to maintain persistent access to location data and user tracking capabilities that violate user privacy expectations and system security models.