CVE-2017-7156 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.2 is affected. Safari before 11.0.2 is affected. iCloud before 7.2 on Windows is affected. iTunes before 12.7.2 on Windows is affected. tvOS before 11.2 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 • 01/27/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7156 represents a critical memory corruption flaw within Apple's WebKit rendering engine that affects multiple operating systems and applications. This vulnerability resides in the core web browsing component that powers Safari, iOS, tvOS, and various other Apple products, making it a widespread concern across the Apple ecosystem. The flaw specifically impacts iOS versions prior to 11.2, Safari versions before 11.0.2, iCloud versions before 7.2 on Windows, iTunes versions before 12.7.2 on Windows, and tvOS versions prior to 11.2, demonstrating the extensive reach of this security weakness.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within WebKit's JavaScript engine, which allows malicious actors to craft specially designed web pages that can trigger memory corruption conditions. When users visit these malicious websites, the crafted content exploits memory management flaws that can lead to arbitrary code execution or cause applications to crash. 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, both of which are common precursors to memory corruption exploits. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of browser security and operating system integrity, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass traditional security boundaries.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-7156 extends beyond simple application crashes, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code remotely on affected systems. This means that an attacker could potentially gain full control over a user's device simply by convincing them to visit a malicious website, without requiring any additional user interaction or privilege escalation. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation. From an attacker's perspective, this flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which involves exploiting weaknesses in software applications, and T1059, which covers command and script interpreter usage, as attackers could leverage the arbitrary code execution capability to establish persistent access.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of Apple's security updates, which include patches to the WebKit component across all affected platforms. Users should prioritize updating their iOS, tvOS, Safari, iCloud, and iTunes installations to the latest versions that contain the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect attempts to access known malicious domains associated with this vulnerability and consider deploying web filtering solutions to block access to suspicious websites. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to ensure all Apple products within their environment are properly updated and that users are educated about the risks of visiting untrusted websites. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of keeping web browsers and operating systems up to date, as these components represent common attack vectors for sophisticated threat actors.