CVE-2015-1140 in MacOS X
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in IOHIDFamily in Apple OS X before 10.10.3 allows local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1140 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the IOHIDFamily component of Apple's macOS operating system. This issue affects versions prior to macOS 10.10.3 and resides in the kernel-level HID (Human Interface Device) family framework responsible for handling input device communication. The IOHIDFamily serves as a core subsystem managing keyboard, mouse, and other peripheral device interactions, making it a prime target for privilege escalation attacks due to its privileged execution context and direct hardware access capabilities.
The technical nature of this buffer overflow stems from inadequate input validation within the IOHIDFamily kernel extension, where maliciously crafted input data can cause memory corruption that overflows predetermined buffer boundaries. This vulnerability allows local attackers to manipulate memory layout and potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing standard user-mode security controls. The unspecified vectors suggest multiple potential attack pathways through various input device interfaces or system calls that interact with the vulnerable subsystem, making the attack surface broader and more difficult to predict.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to macOS systems as it enables local privilege escalation without requiring network connectivity or user interaction. An attacker with low-privilege access to a system can leverage this flaw to elevate their privileges to root level, gaining complete control over the affected machine. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation since kernel-level access provides unrestricted access to all system resources, including encryption keys, user data, and network communications. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, focusing on exploit for privilege escalation.
The mitigation strategy involves applying the official macOS security update to version 10.10.3 or later, which patches the buffer overflow vulnerability in IOHIDFamily. System administrators should prioritize deployment of this update across all affected macOS systems, particularly those running versions 10.10.2 or earlier. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can reduce the attack surface, while monitoring for unusual system behavior or privilege escalation attempts can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider disabling unnecessary input device drivers and implementing kernel extension quarantine policies to limit potential attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of kernel-level security in operating systems and highlights the necessity of regular security updates to protect against sophisticated privilege escalation attacks that target core system components.