CVE-2018-4416 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed with improved memory handling. This issue affected versions prior to iOS 12.1, tvOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, Safari 12.0.1, iTunes 12.9.1, iCloud for Windows 7.8.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4416 represents a critical memory corruption issue that impacted multiple Apple operating systems and applications. This flaw emerged from inadequate memory handling mechanisms within Apple's software ecosystem, specifically affecting versions prior to iOS 12.1, tvOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, Safari 12.0.1, iTunes 12.9.1, and iCloud for Windows 7.8. The vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues that can lead to unpredictable system behavior and potential exploitation by malicious actors. The affected platforms demonstrate the widespread nature of this memory corruption flaw, indicating a fundamental weakness in Apple's memory management implementations across their product portfolio. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes that may be exploited for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical nature of this memory corruption vulnerability stems from improper memory allocation and deallocation practices within Apple's software frameworks. When applications or system components handle memory without proper bounds checking or validation, they become susceptible to buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory-related anomalies that can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-416, which covers use-after-free errors. The memory handling deficiencies likely manifested when the affected applications processed user input or network data without adequate sanitization or memory boundary validation. Attackers could potentially craft malicious inputs that would trigger these memory corruption conditions, leading to system instability or complete compromise of the affected device.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4416 extends across multiple attack vectors and user scenarios, making it particularly concerning for enterprise and individual security postures. Mobile devices running affected iOS versions, Apple TV systems with outdated tvOS, and wearable devices with vulnerable watchOS could all be compromised through various attack surfaces including web browsing, file processing, or network communications. The Safari browser component's vulnerability particularly impacts web-based attacks where users might encounter malicious websites or content that triggers the memory corruption. iTunes and iCloud for Windows components introduce additional attack vectors for desktop environments, potentially allowing attackers to exploit these vulnerabilities during file synchronization or backup operations. The widespread nature of the affected software versions suggests that a significant portion of Apple's user base remained exposed to these risks, creating substantial attack surface for threat actors targeting Apple ecosystems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4416 require immediate patching and system updates across all affected platforms. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest supported versions of iOS 12.1, tvOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, Safari 12.0.1, iTunes 12.9.1, and iCloud for Windows 7.8 to address the memory handling issues. Security teams should implement comprehensive monitoring for any suspicious activities or system anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as web application firewalls and content filtering to reduce exposure to malicious web content that could trigger these vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of updated systems to ensure compatibility and stability before deployment. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of keeping their systems updated and avoiding suspicious websites or downloads that could exploit these memory corruption flaws. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and demonstrates how memory safety issues can affect entire software ecosystems when proper memory handling practices are not implemented throughout the development lifecycle.