CVE-2019-8538 : Security Advisory and Response

A denial of service issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in watchOS 5.2, macOS Mojave 10.14.4, Security Update 2019-002 High Sierra, Security Update 2019-002 Sierra, iOS 12.2. Processing a maliciously crafted vcf file may lead to a denial of service.

Understanding CVE-2019-8538

Improvements in validation have been implemented to resolve a denial of service problem caused by processing a maliciously crafted vcf file.

What is CVE-2019-8538?

CVE-2019-8538 is a vulnerability that could result in a denial of service when processing a specially crafted vcf file on affected Apple products.

The Impact of CVE-2019-8538

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to exploit a maliciously crafted vcf file to cause a denial of service on the affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-8538

The technical details of the CVE-2019-8538 vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of vcf files, leading to a denial of service risk.

Affected Systems and Versions

iOS versions less than 12.2
macOS versions less than 10.14
macOS versions less than 5.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by processing a specially crafted vcf file, triggering the denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2019-8538 vulnerability:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected systems to the fixed versions: watchOS 5.2, macOS Mojave 10.14.4, Security Update 2019-002 High Sierra, Security Update 2019-002 Sierra, iOS 12.2
Avoid opening vcf files from untrusted or unknown sources.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches.
Educate users on safe handling of email attachments and files.

Patching and Updates

Apply security updates and patches provided by Apple to address the vulnerability.