CVE-2018-4182 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
In macOS High Sierra before 10.13.5, an access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions on CUPS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/28/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4182 represents a sandboxing weakness in macOS High Sierra versions prior to 10.13.5 that specifically affects the Common Unix Printing System CUPS. This issue stems from insufficient sandbox restrictions that allow unauthorized access to printing services and related system components. The problem manifests within the macOS security framework where the CUPS printing subsystem fails to properly enforce sandbox boundaries, creating potential attack vectors for privilege escalation and unauthorized system access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it undermines the fundamental security model of macOS by allowing processes to bypass expected access controls when interacting with printing services.
This technical flaw operates through the sandboxing mechanism that should restrict CUPS operations to prevent unauthorized access to system resources. The insufficient sandbox restrictions mean that applications or processes running within the CUPS environment can potentially access restricted system areas that they should not be permitted to reach. The vulnerability enables attackers to exploit the printing subsystem to gain elevated privileges or access sensitive system information that would normally be protected by the sandboxing architecture. This weakness directly relates to the principle of least privilege enforcement that is critical for maintaining system integrity and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4182 extends beyond simple access control violations as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks targeting macOS systems. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and gain access to system resources that would normally be protected by the sandboxing architecture. The vulnerability affects the broader macOS security posture by weakening the isolation between different system components and allowing unauthorized access to printing services that could serve as a foothold for further exploitation. This issue particularly impacts enterprise environments where printing services are commonly used and where unauthorized access to system resources could lead to data breaches or system compromise.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to macOS 10.13.5 or later versions where Apple has implemented additional sandbox restrictions on CUPS. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems to ensure that the updated sandboxing mechanisms are properly enforced. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to printing services and review existing access controls to ensure that the updated security measures are properly configured. The fix addresses the underlying sandboxing weakness by implementing stricter access controls on CUPS operations and ensuring that printing services cannot bypass the normal security boundaries that protect system resources. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes inadequate privilege management, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local system exploitation.