CVE-2018-4155 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 the "CoreFoundation" component. A race condition allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context via a crafted app.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4155 represents a critical race condition flaw within Apple's CoreFoundation framework that affected multiple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 11.3, macOS versions before 10.13.4, tvOS before 11.3, and watchOS before 4.3. This fundamental weakness in the system's core components creates a dangerous execution path that can be exploited by malicious applications to gain elevated privileges. The CoreFoundation framework serves as a foundational element in Apple's operating systems, providing essential services for data management, memory management, and application programming interfaces that numerous system processes depend upon for proper operation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a race condition that occurs within the CoreFoundation component during specific memory management operations. When a malicious application attempts to manipulate memory structures while the system is processing concurrent operations, the timing window creates an opportunity for attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This race condition typically manifests when multiple threads or processes attempt to access and modify shared resources simultaneously without proper synchronization mechanisms. The flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the system's memory state in such a way that the execution flow can be redirected to malicious code, effectively bypassing normal privilege boundaries and system security controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4155 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute code in a privileged context that could compromise the entire system. This vulnerability enables adversaries to potentially access sensitive system data, modify critical system files, or establish persistent backdoors within affected devices. The attack vector requires only a crafted application to be installed and executed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through legitimate app stores or malicious installations. The race condition nature means that successful exploitation is not guaranteed on every system invocation, but once achieved, the consequences can be severe and persistent across system sessions.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions in software systems where concurrent access to shared resources creates opportunities for security breaches. The attack pattern also corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and persistence tactics. Organizations and users must prioritize immediate patching of affected systems, as the vulnerability represents a significant risk to device security and data integrity. System administrators should monitor for suspicious application behavior and implement additional security controls including application whitelisting and monitoring for unauthorized code execution. The remediation process requires updating to the patched versions of the affected operating systems, which include fixes to the CoreFoundation framework that address the synchronization issues causing the race condition.