CVE-2019-6229 in iCloud
Summary
by MITRE
A logic issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 12.1.3, tvOS 12.1.2, Safari 12.0.3, iTunes 12.9.3 for Windows, iCloud for Windows 7.10. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to universal cross site scripting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-6229 represents a critical logic flaw in Apple's web processing frameworks that was addressed through enhanced input validation mechanisms. This issue specifically affected multiple Apple platforms including iOS 12.1.3, tvOS 12.1.2, Safari 12.0.3, iTunes 12.9.3 for Windows, and iCloud for Windows 7.10, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of web content processing, which creates opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the system through crafted web content that can bypass normal security boundaries.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a universal XSS vulnerability that can affect multiple platforms simultaneously. This logic issue allowed attackers to craft malicious web content that could execute arbitrary code within the context of the user's browser or application environment. The flaw was particularly concerning because it exploited the fundamental trust model of web content processing, where legitimate web pages could be manipulated to perform unauthorized actions across different security domains.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-6229 extends beyond simple web browsing scenarios, as it could enable attackers to execute persistent malicious code across multiple Apple platforms. This vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious websites, compromised web applications, or even through social engineering tactics that trick users into visiting compromised content. The universal nature of the flaw means that successful exploitation could potentially compromise user data, session information, and system integrity across all affected platforms. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users might access untrusted web content through corporate browsers or applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of all affected platforms, with Apple releasing updates that implemented improved validation mechanisms to prevent malicious content from being processed through the affected web frameworks. Organizations should have implemented network monitoring to detect suspicious web traffic patterns and deployed web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious content. The fix addressed the core validation logic by introducing stricter sanitization of input parameters and enhanced content filtering mechanisms that prevent the execution of unauthorized scripts. Security teams were advised to conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their web applications and browser configurations to ensure complete remediation of this universal cross-site scripting vulnerability.