CVE-2018-4110 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.3 is affected. The issue involves the "Web App" component. It allows remote attackers to bypass intended restrictions on cookie persistence.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4110 represents a significant security flaw within Apple's iOS operating system affecting versions prior to 11.3. This issue specifically targets the Web App component, which is a feature that allows users to install web applications as native apps on their devices. The vulnerability enables remote attackers to circumvent intended security controls that govern cookie persistence, effectively undermining the web application sandboxing mechanisms that Apple implements to protect user data and maintain secure browsing environments.
The technical nature of this flaw lies in the improper handling of cookie storage and persistence mechanisms within the Web App framework. When users install web applications through the iOS Web App feature, these applications should operate under strict security boundaries that prevent unauthorized data access and cross-site tracking. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate cookie behavior in ways that were not intended by the system design. This bypass occurs at the application layer where cookie policies that should restrict data persistence are being circumvented, potentially allowing malicious actors to maintain persistent access to user sessions or track user behavior across different web applications.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses serious risks to user privacy and data security. Attackers can exploit this flaw to maintain long-term access to user sessions on web applications, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, session hijacking, and persistent tracking of user activities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core web browsing functionality that users rely on daily, making it a high-value target for threat actors seeking to establish persistent presence on affected devices. The impact extends beyond individual users to potentially affect enterprise environments where iOS devices are commonly used for business applications and sensitive data access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a weakness in the authorization mechanisms that should govern cookie persistence within web applications. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1185, which involves data from local system repositories, as attackers can leverage this flaw to maintain access to persistent data stores. The security implications extend to potential exploitation of user trust in web applications, as users expect their web app installations to operate under the same security boundaries as native applications. Organizations should consider implementing network monitoring to detect anomalous cookie behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while users should be advised to update to iOS 11.3 or later versions where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper cookie management and access control enforcement.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability centers on updating to iOS 11.3 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper cookie persistence controls and strengthened the Web App component's security boundaries. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected devices, particularly in enterprise environments where iOS devices are used for business applications. Additional mitigations include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious cookie manipulation patterns, as well as conducting security awareness training for users about the importance of keeping their devices updated. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current security patches, particularly for browser and web application components that handle user session data and persistent storage mechanisms.