CVE-2020-9931 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A denial of service issue in iOS and iPadOS versions prior to 13.6 was addressed with improved input validation, preventing unexpected application termination by remote attackers.

Understanding CVE-2020-9931

This CVE relates to a vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS that could lead to denial of service attacks.

What is CVE-2020-9931?

CVE-2020-9931 is a vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS versions before 13.6 that allowed remote attackers to cause unexpected application termination.

The Impact of CVE-2020-9931

The vulnerability could be exploited by remote attackers to disrupt the normal operation of affected devices, potentially leading to service denial.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-9931

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue was caused by a lack of proper input validation, which was rectified in iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.6.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: iOS
Vendor: Apple
Versions Affected: iOS versions prior to 13.6 and iPadOS versions prior to 13.6

Exploitation Mechanism

Remote attackers could exploit this vulnerability to trigger unexpected application termination on devices running affected iOS and iPadOS versions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-9931.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected devices to iOS 13.6 or iPadOS 13.6 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Exercise caution while interacting with unknown or untrusted sources to prevent potential attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update devices to the latest software versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security measures to detect and block malicious traffic.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates provided by Apple to safeguard against known vulnerabilities.