Vulnerabilities > CVE-2019-8701 - Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerability in Apple mac OS X

047910
CVSS 7.2 - HIGH
Attack vector
LOCAL
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
local
low complexity
apple
CWE-119
nessus

Summary

A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15. An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
OS
Apple
158

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 idMACOS_HT210634.NASL
descriptionThe remote host is running a version of macOS / Mac OS X that is prior to 10.15. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities. - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges (CVE-2019-8748) - Multiple issues in PHP (CVE-2019-11041, CVE-2019-11042) - Processing a maliciously crafted movie may result in the disclosure of process memory (CVE-2019-8705) - The
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id130057
published2019-10-18
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2019-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/130057
titlemacOS < 10.15 Multiple Vulnerabilities
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(130057);
  script_version("1.7");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2020/01/07");

  script_cve_id(
    "CVE-2019-8701",
    "CVE-2019-8705",
    "CVE-2019-8717",
    "CVE-2019-8730",
    "CVE-2019-8745",
    "CVE-2019-8748",
    "CVE-2019-8755",
    "CVE-2019-8757",
    "CVE-2019-8758",
    "CVE-2019-8768",
    "CVE-2019-8769",
    "CVE-2019-8770",
    "CVE-2019-8772",
    "CVE-2019-8781",
    "CVE-2019-11041",
    "CVE-2019-11042"
  );
  script_xref(name:"APPLE-SA", value:"HT210634");

  script_name(english:"macOS < 10.15 Multiple Vulnerabilities");
  script_summary(english:"Checks the version of macOS.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote host is missing a macOS update that fixes multiple vulnerabilities.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The remote host is running a version of macOS / Mac OS X that is prior
to 10.15. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities. 

  - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges (CVE-2019-8748)

  - Multiple issues in PHP (CVE-2019-11041, CVE-2019-11042)

  - Processing a maliciously crafted movie may result in the disclosure of process memory (CVE-2019-8705)

  - The 'Share Mac Analytics' setting may not be disabled when a user deselects the switch to share analytics (CVE-2019-8757)

  - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges (CVE-2019-8758)

  - A malicious application may be able to determine kernel memory layout (CVE-2019-8755)

  - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges (CVE-2019-8717)

  - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges (CVE-2019-8781)

  - A local user may be able to view a user's locked notes (CVE-2019-8730)

  - An attacker may be able to exfiltrate the contents of an encrypted PDF (CVE-2019-8772)

  - A malicious application may be able to access recent documents (CVE-2019-8770)

  - An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges (CVE-2019-8701)

  - Processing a maliciously crafted text file may lead to arbitrary code execution (CVE-2019-8745)

  - Visiting a maliciously crafted website may reveal browsing history (CVE-2019-8769)

  - A user may be unable to delete browsing history items (CVE-2019-8768)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on
the operating system's self-reported version number.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210634");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to macOS 10.15 or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:POC/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2019-8781");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/10/07");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2019/10/07");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2019/10/18");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"potential_vulnerability", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"combined");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:apple:mac_os_x");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:apple:macos");
  script_end_attributes();

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

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2019-2020 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl", "os_fingerprint.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Settings/ParanoidReport");
  script_require_ports("Host/MacOSX/Version", "Host/OS");

  exit(0);
}

include('lists.inc');
include('vcf.inc');
include('vcf_extras_apple.inc');

app_info = vcf::apple::macos::get_app_info();

if (report_paranoia < 2) audit(AUDIT_PARANOID);

# Build numbers from:
# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS#Release_history ->
#  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_Sierra
#  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_High_Sierra
#  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_Mojave
#  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_Catalina
constraints = [
  { 'min_version': '10.12', 'max_version': '10.15.0', 'fixed_build': '19A583', 'fixed_display': '10.15 Build 19A583' }
];

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