CVE-2019-8680 in iTunes
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 12.4, macOS Mojave 10.14.6, tvOS 12.4, Safari 12.1.2, iTunes for Windows 12.9.6, iCloud for Windows 7.13, iCloud for Windows 10.6. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8680 represents a critical memory corruption issue affecting multiple Apple operating systems and applications. This flaw resides in the way these systems handle memory allocation and deallocation when processing web content, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected devices. The vulnerability impacts iOS 12.4, macOS Mojave 10.14.6, tvOS 12.4, Safari 12.1.2, iTunes for Windows 12.9.6, iCloud for Windows 7.13, and iCloud for Windows 10.6, demonstrating the widespread nature of the memory handling flaw across Apple's ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory management practices that fail to properly validate or sanitize memory operations when rendering maliciously crafted web content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by delivering specially crafted web pages or content that triggers memory corruption during processing, potentially leading to heap overflow conditions or use-after-free scenarios. These memory corruption vulnerabilities typically occur when the system attempts to write data beyond allocated memory boundaries or access memory that has already been freed, creating opportunities for code execution. The flaw falls under the CWE-122 category of "Heap-based Buffer Overflow" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript" as attackers often leverage JavaScript-based exploits to trigger memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8680 extends beyond simple exploitation scenarios, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain full control over affected systems. This includes the potential for persistent access, data exfiltration, and further network compromise. The vulnerability's presence in Safari and related applications means that users could be compromised simply by visiting malicious websites or opening compromised web content, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios. Organizations and individuals using affected versions of Apple's software face significant risk of unauthorized access, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without user interaction beyond visiting malicious content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-8680 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment across all affected systems and applications. Apple's release of security updates for iOS 12.4, macOS Mojave 10.14.6, tvOS 12.4, and related software versions addresses the root cause through improved memory handling mechanisms and enhanced input validation. System administrators should prioritize updating all endpoints to the latest versions, particularly those running older versions of Safari, iTunes, and iCloud applications. Additional protective measures include implementing web content filtering solutions, disabling automatic web content rendering in suspicious contexts, and maintaining network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's remediation aligns with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-128 and follows the principle of least privilege by ensuring that only necessary components have access to memory management functions, reducing the attack surface for similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.