CVE-2014-4380 in MacOS X
Summary
by MITRE
The IOHIDFamily kernel extension in Apple iOS before 8 and Apple TV before 7 lacks proper bounds checking on write operations, which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in the kernel s context via a crafted application.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4380 resides within the IOHIDFamily kernel extension of Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting iOS versions prior to 8 and Apple TV versions prior to 7. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the fundamental security model of these platforms by enabling attackers to escalate privileges and execute malicious code at the kernel level. The IOHIDFamily extension is responsible for handling human interface device communications including keyboards, mice, and other input peripherals, making it a crucial component in the system's input handling architecture.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper bounds checking during write operations within the kernel extension. This deficiency creates a buffer overflow condition that can be exploited by malicious applications to overwrite critical memory locations. When a crafted application attempts to write data to memory regions controlled by IOHIDFamily without proper validation, the system fails to verify that the write operation remains within allocated boundaries. This absence of input validation allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that deliberately exceed buffer limits, potentially overwriting function pointers, return addresses, or other critical kernel structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it provides attackers with complete kernel-level access to affected systems. Once exploited, the malicious code executes with the highest privileges available to the kernel, enabling unauthorized access to all system resources, data encryption, privilege escalation, and potential persistence mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special user interaction beyond installing a malicious application, making it a prime target for zero-day exploits. Attackers can leverage this flaw to bypass system security measures including code signing requirements, sandboxing, and other kernel protection mechanisms that normally prevent unauthorized access to system resources.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how kernel-level flaws can be exploited to achieve complete system compromise. The attack pattern follows typical privilege escalation techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation category, specifically targeting kernel exploits to gain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of kernel security and the potential consequences of insufficient input validation in system-critical components. Organizations and users affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement security patches and updates, while security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The incident underscores the necessity of robust input validation practices and comprehensive security testing of kernel extensions to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.