CVE-2020-9773 in iOS
Prediction
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2020
A vulnerability has been found in Apple iOS and iPadOS up to 13.7. This vulnerability affects unknown code of the component Icons. The manipulation leads to information disclosure. The attack needs to be performed locally. Upgrading to version 14.0 is able to resolve this issue. It is advisable to upgrade the affected component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2020-9773 represents a significant privacy disclosure issue within Apple's operating systems that stems from inadequate handling of icon cache data structures. This flaw existed in multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS prior to their respective version 13.4, 10.15.4, 13.4, and 6.2 releases. The core technical issue involves how applications process and store visual representation data for installed applications, specifically in the way icon caches are managed and exposed to malicious actors.
The vulnerability manifests through improper access control mechanisms within the operating system's application management subsystem, where icon cache files contain metadata that inadvertently reveals information about installed applications. This occurs because the system stores icon data in a manner that does not adequately obfuscate or encrypt the underlying application identification information. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious applications that leverage the icon cache handling routines to enumerate and identify other applications present on the target device. The flaw essentially creates a side-channel attack vector that bypasses normal application isolation mechanisms and allows for reconnaissance activities.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and represents a classic case of insufficient information hiding within system components. The operational impact extends beyond simple privacy concerns as it enables adversaries to build comprehensive profiles of user device configurations, potentially facilitating more sophisticated targeted attacks. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1069.001 (Permission Groups Discovery) demonstrates how it can be leveraged for reconnaissance purposes, while also supporting techniques such as T1592 (Gather Victim Host Information) and T1082 (System Information Discovery). The ability to identify installed applications provides attackers with valuable intelligence about potential software targets for exploitation, including version-specific vulnerabilities in other applications.
The fix implemented by Apple addresses this through enhanced icon cache handling mechanisms that properly isolate application metadata and prevent unauthorized access to installation information. This includes improved access controls for cache files, better encryption of metadata within icon cache structures, and more robust validation of cache data integrity. System administrators and security professionals should ensure all affected platforms are updated to the patched versions, as this vulnerability represents a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by sophisticated adversaries. The remediation approach demonstrates Apple's evolving security posture in addressing information leakage vulnerabilities while maintaining system functionality and user experience. Organizations should monitor for any related security advisories and consider implementing additional network-level controls to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability class.