CVE-2018-4153 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An injection issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue affected versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4153 represents a critical injection flaw that existed in macOS versions prior to the release of macOS Mojave 10.14. This issue falls under the category of input validation weaknesses that can potentially allow malicious actors to manipulate system behavior through crafted inputs. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it affected the core operating system functionality, providing potential attack vectors that could be exploited across multiple system components. The flaw was specifically addressed through enhanced validation mechanisms that prevent improper input handling and injection attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user inputs within the macOS system architecture. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness by providing maliciously crafted inputs that would be processed without adequate sanitization or verification. This type of vulnerability typically aligns with CWE-74, which describes injection flaws where untrusted data is sent to an interpreter as part of a command or query. The root cause likely involved improper handling of system calls or API interactions where user-supplied data was not adequately validated before being processed by system components. The vulnerability could have enabled attackers to manipulate system operations through carefully constructed input sequences that would bypass normal validation checks.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4153 extends beyond simple data corruption or system instability. When exploited, this vulnerability could have provided attackers with elevated privileges or unauthorized access to system resources, potentially allowing for privilege escalation attacks. The attack surface was particularly broad since the flaw affected core operating system components that handle user input and system interactions. Security researchers noted that the vulnerability could have been leveraged to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments where macOS devices are prevalent. The exploitation of such injection flaws often aligns with ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through system interfaces.
Organizations and system administrators were strongly advised to upgrade to macOS Mojave 10.14 or later versions to remediate this vulnerability. The patch implemented by Apple addressed the root cause by introducing enhanced input validation mechanisms that properly sanitize and verify all user-supplied data before processing. Additional mitigations included implementing network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors and monitoring system logs for suspicious activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process required careful planning due to the critical nature of the vulnerability and the need to ensure that all affected systems received the necessary updates. Security teams were also advised to conduct vulnerability assessments to identify any systems that might still be running vulnerable versions of macOS, as the patch was only effective on systems that had been properly updated.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of robust input validation in operating system design and the need for continuous security updates. This case demonstrates how seemingly simple validation flaws can create significant security risks when they affect core system components. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against injection attacks. Organizations were reminded that maintaining up-to-date systems is crucial for protecting against known vulnerabilities, particularly those that affect fundamental system operations and could provide attackers with persistent access to target environments.