CVE-2018-4092 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.2.5 is affected. macOS before 10.13.3 is affected. tvOS before 11.2.5 is affected. watchOS before 4.2.2 is affected. The issue involves the "Kernel" component. A race condition allows attackers to bypass intended memory-read restrictions via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4092 represents a critical race condition flaw within the kernel component of multiple Apple operating systems including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. This fundamental security weakness affects versions prior to the specified patches, creating a significant exploit vector that undermines the memory protection mechanisms designed to prevent unauthorized access to system resources. The race condition occurs during the execution of kernel-level operations where timing dependencies create temporary vulnerabilities in the memory management system.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of memory access controls during concurrent operations within the kernel space. Attackers can craft malicious applications that manipulate the timing of memory read operations to exploit the race condition window. This allows the malicious software to bypass the intended memory-read restrictions that normally prevent unauthorized access to protected kernel memory regions. The flaw specifically targets the kernel's memory management subsystem where concurrent access patterns create temporary inconsistencies in memory protection enforcement, enabling privilege escalation attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4092 extends beyond simple memory access violations as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This race condition vulnerability can be leveraged to bypass critical security features such as kernel address space layout randomization and memory protection mechanisms that are fundamental to modern operating system security architectures. The affected systems become vulnerable to persistent attacks where malicious applications can gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information and potentially compromise the entire device. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes race conditions that can lead to security flaws, and represents a classic example of how timing-dependent operations can create exploitable conditions in kernel-level code.
Security researchers have identified this vulnerability as particularly dangerous due to its potential for privilege escalation and its exploitation through seemingly benign applications. The race condition allows attackers to manipulate the kernel's memory management functions to access protected memory regions that should normally be restricted to authorized processes only. This type of vulnerability is classified under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques where adversaries leverage system-level flaws to gain elevated access. The impact on affected Apple devices includes potential data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, and complete device compromise. Organizations and individuals using vulnerable versions of these operating systems face significant risk of targeted attacks that can result in the theft of sensitive information, persistent backdoor access, and complete system control.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the security patches released by Apple for iOS 11.2.5, macOS 10.13.3, tvOS 11.2.5, and watchOS 4.2.2. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected devices to prevent exploitation attempts. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through anomalous memory access patterns or unusual kernel behavior. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in kernel code and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of concurrent operations within system-level components. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain updated threat intelligence regarding similar race condition vulnerabilities in operating system kernels.