CVE-2018-4043 in CleanMyMac X
Summary
by MITRE
An exploitable privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the Clean My Mac X, version 4.04, helper service due to improper input validation. A user with local access can use this vulnerability to modify the file system as root. An attacker would need local access to the machine for a successful exploit.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-4043 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Clean My Mac X application version 4.04, specifically within its helper service component. This issue stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that allow unauthorized modification of the file system with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it enables local users to execute arbitrary file system modifications with root-level permissions, effectively bypassing normal access controls and system security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the helper service component failing to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before processing them. When the Clean My Mac X application interacts with its helper service, it does not adequately verify the legitimacy or safety of the data being passed to the system. This creates a pathway where malicious input can be interpreted and executed with root privileges, allowing attackers to manipulate system files, modify critical system components, or install unauthorized software without proper authentication. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-20, which specifically addresses improper input validation issues that can lead to various security exploits including privilege escalation.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to systems where local access is possible, as it requires minimal attack prerequisites to achieve high-impact results. The exploitability factor is relatively low since it requires physical or local access to the machine, but this limitation does not diminish its severity. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, modify system integrity checks, or create backdoors that remain undetected by standard security monitoring tools. The impact extends beyond simple file modification, potentially allowing for complete system compromise through the elevation of privileges.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploits, and T1543, which addresses persistence mechanisms. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched version of Clean My Mac X, disabling or removing the vulnerable helper service if not required, and implementing strict access controls to limit local user privileges. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unauthorized modifications to critical system files and implement integrity checking mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in privileged system components and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of helper services and system utilities that operate with elevated privileges.