Vulnerabilities > CVE-2016-4704 - Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability in Apple Xcode

047910
CVSS 7.8 - HIGH
Attack vector
LOCAL
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
LOW
Confidentiality impact
HIGH
Integrity impact
HIGH
Availability impact
HIGH
local
low complexity
apple
CWE-119
nessus
NVD
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2017-08-13

Summary

otool in Apple Xcode before 8 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4705.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Apple
61

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Overflow Buffers
    Buffer Overflow attacks target improper or missing bounds checking on buffer operations, typically triggered by input injected by an attacker. As a consequence, an attacker is able to write past the boundaries of allocated buffer regions in memory, causing a program crash or potentially redirection of execution as per the attackers' choice.
  • Client-side Injection-induced Buffer Overflow
    This type of attack exploits a buffer overflow vulnerability in targeted client software through injection of malicious content from a custom-built hostile service.
  • Filter Failure through Buffer Overflow
    In this attack, the idea is to cause an active filter to fail by causing an oversized transaction. An attacker may try to feed overly long input strings to the program in an attempt to overwhelm the filter (by causing a buffer overflow) and hoping that the filter does not fail securely (i.e. the user input is let into the system unfiltered).
  • MIME Conversion
    An attacker exploits a weakness in the MIME conversion routine to cause a buffer overflow and gain control over the mail server machine. The MIME system is designed to allow various different information formats to be interpreted and sent via e-mail. Attack points exist when data are converted to MIME compatible format and back.

Nessus

NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
NASL idMACOSX_XCODE_8.NASL
descriptionThe version of Apple Xcode installed on the remote Mac OS X host is prior to 8.0. It is, therefore, affected by multiple memory corruption issues in the otool command line utility due to improper validation of input. A local attacker can exploit these to cause a denial of service condition or the execution of arbitrary code.
last seen2020-05-06
modified2016-09-15
plugin id93526
published2016-09-15
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2016-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/93526
titleApple Xcode < 8.0 otool RCE (Mac OS X)
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(93526);
  script_version("1.5");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2020/05/05");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2016-4704", "CVE-2016-4705");
  script_bugtraq_id(92931);
  script_xref(name:"APPLE-SA", value:"APPLE-SA-2016-09-13-2");

  script_name(english:"Apple Xcode < 8.0 otool RCE (Mac OS X)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"An IDE application installed on the remote Mac OS X host is affected by multiple remote code execution vulnerabilities.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of Apple Xcode installed on the remote Mac OS X host is prior to 8.0. It is, therefore, affected by
multiple memory corruption issues in the otool command line utility due to improper validation of input. A local
attacker can exploit these to cause a denial of service condition or the execution of arbitrary code.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207140");
  # http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2016/Sep/msg00003.html
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?f6afd9fd");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to Apple Xcode version 8.0 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2016-4704");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date",value:"2016/09/13");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date",value:"2016/09/13");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2016/09/15");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type",value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe",value:"cpe:/a:apple:xcode");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"MacOS X Local Security Checks");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2016-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("macosx_xcode_installed.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/MacOSX/Version", "installed_sw/Apple Xcode");

  exit(0);
}

include('vcf.inc');

get_kb_item_or_exit('Host/local_checks_enabled');

os = get_kb_item('Host/MacOSX/Version');
if (empty_or_null(os))
  audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, 'macOS or Mac OS X');

app_info = vcf::get_app_info(app:'Apple Xcode');

constraints = [
  { 'fixed_version' : '8.0' }
];

vcf::check_version_and_report(app_info:app_info, constraints:constraints, severity:SECURITY_HOLE);

References