CVE-2020-9862 in iCloud
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2020
A command injection issue existed in Web Inspector. This issue was addressed with improved escaping. This issue is fixed in iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.6, tvOS 13.4.8, watchOS 6.2.8, Safari 13.1.2, iTunes 12.10.8 for Windows, iCloud for Windows 11.3, iCloud for Windows 7.20. Copying a URL from Web Inspector may lead to command injection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9862 represents a critical command injection flaw within Apple's Web Inspector functionality that existed across multiple operating systems and applications. This issue specifically manifested when users copied URLs from the Web Inspector component, which could inadvertently execute malicious commands on the target system. The vulnerability was classified under CWE-78 as a failure to properly escape special characters in command execution contexts, making it a classic example of command injection where untrusted input could be interpreted as executable code.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurred within the Web Inspector's URL handling mechanism where the copied URL content was not adequately sanitized before being processed by the underlying system commands. When users copied URLs containing specially crafted payloads, these inputs were subsequently passed to shell commands without proper input validation or escaping, creating a direct path for arbitrary command execution. This vulnerability was particularly concerning because it leveraged a legitimate user interaction pattern - URL copying - to deliver malicious payloads, making it both accessible and potentially difficult to detect during normal operation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extended across multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and various desktop applications such as Safari and iCloud for Windows. Attackers could exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs within web pages or web inspector outputs, then tricking users into copying these URLs. Once copied, the system would process these URLs through command execution paths, potentially allowing remote code execution with the privileges of the affected application. This vulnerability could enable attackers to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems, potentially leading to full system compromise, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within network environments.
Apple addressed this vulnerability through comprehensive escaping improvements in their Web Inspector implementation, specifically enhancing how URL content is handled during copy operations. The fix was included in iOS 13.6, iPadOS 13.6, tvOS 13.4.8, watchOS 6.2.8, Safari 13.1.2, iTunes 12.10.8 for Windows, and iCloud for Windows 11.3 and 7.20. This remediation follows established security practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly addressing techniques related to command injection and privilege escalation. Organizations should prioritize updating affected systems to the patched versions, as the vulnerability could be exploited in the wild through social engineering tactics that诱导 users to copy malicious URLs from web inspector interfaces. The fix demonstrates Apple's commitment to addressing security flaws in their development tools and browser components, aligning with industry standards for secure coding practices and input validation.