CVE-2018-4115 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.3 is affected. macOS before 10.13.4 is affected. tvOS before 11.3 is affected. watchOS before 4.3 is affected. The issue involves CFPreferences in the "System Preferences" component. It allows attackers to bypass intended access restrictions by leveraging incorrect configuration-profile persistence.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4115 represents a critical access control flaw within Apple's operating systems that affects multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. This security weakness resides within the CFPreferences system component that manages application preferences and system configuration settings. The flaw specifically manifests in how configuration profiles are persisted and managed within the System Preferences framework, creating an avenue for unauthorized access that bypasses intended security controls. The vulnerability was present in versions prior to iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4, tvOS 11.3, and watchOS 4.3, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of configuration profile persistence mechanisms within the CFPreferences subsystem. When system preferences are managed through configuration profiles, the system should enforce strict access controls to ensure that only authorized entities can modify or access specific preference settings. However, the flaw allows attackers to manipulate these persistence mechanisms in a way that enables them to bypass the intended access restrictions. This occurs because the system fails to properly validate or enforce the security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized modification of preference settings that are typically restricted to privileged users or system processes. The vulnerability essentially creates a path where attacker-controlled configuration profiles can persist in a manner that circumvents normal access control enforcement.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4115 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Apple's operating systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially modify system preferences, access restricted configuration settings, or manipulate application behavior in ways that would normally be prevented by the operating system's access control mechanisms. This could enable the execution of malicious configuration changes that persist across system reboots, potentially allowing for long-term system compromise. The vulnerability's persistence aspect is particularly concerning as it means that even after a system restart or reboot, the attacker-controlled modifications remain active and functional, creating a stealthy and persistent threat vector.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing improper access control enforcement within system preference management components. The flaw represents a classic case of privilege escalation where an attacker can leverage incorrect configuration profile handling to gain elevated access rights. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability could be exploited in conjunction with other attack vectors, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as persistent backdoor establishment or system-wide configuration manipulation. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a privilege escalation technique, specifically falling under the category of "Access Token Manipulation" or "Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder" depending on the specific exploitation method used.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4115 primarily focus on updating affected systems to versions that contain the necessary security patches. Apple released updates for all affected platforms that address the underlying configuration profile persistence mechanism and restore proper access control enforcement. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these patches across all affected Apple devices within their environment. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring for unusual configuration profile changes or preference modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control policies should be reviewed to ensure that even if an attacker were to exploit this vulnerability, the lateral movement capabilities would be limited. Regular security audits of system preferences and configuration profiles should be conducted to identify any unauthorized modifications that may have occurred prior to patch deployment. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the critical role that timely patch management plays in preventing exploitation of access control flaws.