CVE-2017-13840 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.1 is affected. The issue involves the "Kernel" component. It allows attackers to bypass intended memory-read restrictions via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/05/2024
This vulnerability resides within the kernel component of macOS systems prior to version 10.13.1, representing a critical memory protection flaw that undermines the operating system's fundamental security architecture. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to bypass intended memory-read restrictions through the execution of a crafted application, fundamentally compromising the kernel's ability to enforce memory access controls. This issue falls under the broader category of kernel-level privilege escalation vulnerabilities that can severely impact system integrity and confidentiality. The flaw represents a failure in the kernel's memory management subsystem to properly validate memory access requests from user-space applications, creating a pathway for malicious code to read protected memory regions that should remain inaccessible to regular applications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a malicious application attempts to perform memory reads that would normally be restricted by the kernel's memory protection mechanisms. This typically involves leveraging improper validation of memory access permissions or flawed privilege checking routines within the kernel's memory management code. The vulnerability demonstrates a weakness in the kernel's memory protection policies where the system fails to adequately verify that user-space processes have proper authorization to access specific memory regions. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates at the kernel level where the most privileged system operations occur, allowing attackers to potentially access sensitive system data, kernel memory structures, or other protected resources that should be inaccessible to regular applications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control in software systems, specifically within kernel memory management contexts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with a foundation for more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation, system compromise, and potential data exfiltration. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to kernel memory spaces that contain sensitive system information, credentials, or encryption keys, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects all macOS systems running versions prior to 10.13.1, making it particularly widespread and concerning for organizations that have not yet updated their systems. This type of kernel-level vulnerability can enable attackers to bypass security features such as kernel address space layout randomization and other exploit mitigations that are designed to prevent such attacks. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it only requires a user to execute a malicious application, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional endpoint protection measures.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate system updates to macOS version 10.13.1 or later, which contain the necessary kernel patches to address the memory protection flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies to ensure all macOS systems are updated promptly, as this vulnerability can be exploited remotely or through social engineering techniques that trick users into executing malicious applications. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting, kernel extension restrictions, and monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current operating system versions and demonstrates how kernel-level flaws can create persistent security risks that require immediate remediation. Security teams should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous memory access patterns consistent with this type of exploit, as traditional signature-based detection may not be effective against such fundamental kernel-level vulnerabilities.