CVE-2017-13841 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 represents a critical kernel-level memory protection flaw that affected macOS versions prior to 10.13.1, specifically targeting the kernel component of Apple's operating system. The issue stems from insufficient memory access controls that allow malicious applications to circumvent the intended read restrictions imposed by the kernel's memory management subsystem. Attackers can craft specially designed applications that exploit this weakness to access memory regions that should otherwise be restricted, potentially enabling unauthorized data access and privilege escalation. The vulnerability resides at the core of the operating system's security model, where kernel memory protection mechanisms fail to properly enforce access controls. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the memory protection architecture that Apple implemented to isolate user-space processes from critical system resources. The flaw enables attackers to bypass the kernel's memory read restrictions through carefully constructed application code that manipulates memory access patterns. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of macOS's memory management system and compromises the fundamental security boundaries that separate user applications from kernel space. The issue is classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows unprivileged applications to gain unauthorized access to protected memory areas, potentially exposing sensitive system data and undermining the operating system's security model. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability represents a serious concern as it enables attackers to bypass critical memory protection mechanisms that are essential for maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data access, as it could potentially enable attackers to extract kernel-level information, manipulate system memory, and ultimately compromise the entire operating system. This flaw aligns with common weakness enumerations related to improper access control and memory protection mechanisms, representing a failure in the kernel's memory management subsystem to properly enforce access restrictions. The vulnerability demonstrates how weaknesses in core operating system components can provide attackers with pathways to bypass fundamental security controls. According to industry standards, this issue relates to CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and CWE-119, which covers weak memory protection mechanisms. The attack vector involves crafting malicious applications that exploit kernel memory management flaws to access restricted memory areas. The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers to bypass memory protection mechanisms that are designed to prevent unauthorized access to critical system resources. The vulnerability can be exploited by any application with the ability to run on the affected system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user applications have broad execution privileges. Security researchers identified that this issue could be leveraged to extract sensitive kernel data, potentially including cryptographic keys, system credentials, and other confidential information stored in protected memory regions. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it requires no special privileges to initiate the attack, as the malicious application can be executed by any user. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning from a threat modeling perspective as it enables attackers to leverage common execution vectors to access kernel-level memory. The vulnerability's presence in kernel space means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as the attacker would gain access to the most privileged system memory areas. Mitigation strategies should focus on updating to macOS 10.13.1 or later versions where Apple has implemented proper kernel memory protection controls. System administrators should ensure that all affected systems are updated promptly, as the vulnerability represents a persistent threat that could be exploited by attackers with minimal technical expertise. Additional protective measures include implementing application whitelisting policies, monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns, and maintaining up-to-date security configurations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of kernel security hardening and proper memory access control implementation in operating system design. Organizations should consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms and memory integrity checks to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date operating system patches and the potential consequences of running outdated system versions. The attack pattern aligns with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, where attackers leverage kernel-level weaknesses to bypass security controls. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated kernel versions and memory protection mechanisms that could be exploited by similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that all system components are properly updated and that no legacy configurations persist that could maintain exposure to this vulnerability.