CVE-2018-4154 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. The issue involves the "Storage" component. A race condition allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context via a crafted app.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4154 represents a critical race condition flaw within Apple's storage component that affects multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 11.3 and macOS versions prior to 10.13.4. This vulnerability resides in the core storage subsystem of Apple's operating systems, which handles file system operations and data management across the platform. The race condition occurs during specific file system operations where multiple processes or threads access shared resources simultaneously without proper synchronization mechanisms. This flaw enables attackers to manipulate the timing and execution flow of storage operations to gain unauthorized access to privileged execution contexts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits a fundamental timing issue in how the storage subsystem manages concurrent access to file system resources. When a malicious application attempts to perform specific file operations, the race condition allows for interleaving of operations that should be atomic, creating opportunities for code injection. The flaw specifically manifests when the system processes file operations that involve temporary files or shared memory segments where proper locking mechanisms fail to prevent concurrent access. This race condition operates at the kernel level within the storage framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges typically reserved for system processes. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-362 which categorizes race conditions as a well-known weakness in concurrent programming that can lead to security implications when proper synchronization is not implemented.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4154 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute malicious code within the system's privileged context. This capability allows threat actors to bypass standard security controls that normally protect against unauthorized system modifications, potentially enabling full system compromise. The vulnerability can be exploited through a crafted application that carefully orchestrates file system operations to trigger the race condition, making it particularly concerning as it requires no special user interaction beyond installing the malicious application. Once exploited, the attacker gains the ability to modify system files, install persistent backdoors, or manipulate core operating system components, effectively undermining the security model of the affected platforms. This type of vulnerability falls under ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes 'Local Privilege Escalation' and specifically addresses the exploitation of race conditions for privilege elevation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4154 focus primarily on updating affected systems to versions that contain the patched storage subsystem. Apple released iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4 to address this vulnerability, which implemented proper synchronization mechanisms to prevent the race condition from being exploitable. System administrators should prioritize patch management to ensure all affected devices receive the security updates. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting policies that prevent the installation of untrusted applications that could potentially exploit this vulnerability. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious file system operations that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper concurrency control in system-level components and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws in core subsystems can have significant security implications. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms that can detect and prevent the execution of malicious code in privileged contexts, as the race condition could potentially be exploited through various attack vectors beyond the initial application installation.