CVE-2018-4228 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.5 is affected. The issue involves the "IOFireWireAVC" component. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context via a crafted app that leverages a race condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/20/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4228 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13.5. This security weakness resides within the IOKit framework's IOFireWireAVC component, which handles FireWire audio and video control communications. The flaw manifests as a race condition that occurs during the processing of FireWire AVC (Audio Video Control) commands, creating an exploitable timing window where malicious code can manipulate system behavior. The vulnerability specifically affects systems running macOS versions earlier than 10.13.5, making a significant portion of Apple's user base susceptible to this attack vector.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages a race condition in the IOFireWireAVC driver's handling of asynchronous command processing. When a malicious application attempts to establish a FireWire connection and sends specially crafted AVC commands, the driver fails to properly synchronize access to shared memory regions. This race condition allows an attacker to manipulate kernel memory structures and execute arbitrary code with root privileges, bypassing normal user-level security boundaries. The flaw operates at the kernel level, meaning successful exploitation grants attackers complete system control without requiring user interaction or authentication. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions that can lead to privilege escalation, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through kernel exploits.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4228 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Once executed, the exploit allows adversaries to install persistent backdoors, modify system files, access encrypted data, and potentially exfiltrate sensitive information from the compromised machine. The FireWire interface, which was traditionally used for high-speed data transfer and audio/video control, becomes an attack surface that can be leveraged from any machine with FireWire ports. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires no user interaction, meaning a malicious application could be silently installed and executed without detection. The exploit could be delivered through various vectors including malicious USB devices, compromised applications, or even through network-based attacks that leverage FireWire protocols, making it a versatile threat that could affect both desktop and laptop systems.
Organizations and individuals should immediately update to macOS 10.13.5 or later versions to remediate this vulnerability. System administrators should implement comprehensive patch management policies that prioritize security updates, particularly for operating systems running on Apple hardware. Additional mitigations include disabling FireWire interfaces when not in use, implementing strict application whitelisting policies, and monitoring for unusual kernel-level activity. Security professionals should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify exploitation attempts targeting kernel-level vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how legacy interfaces like FireWire can create persistent security risks in modern computing environments. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential race condition exploits and ensure their security infrastructure can detect and respond to such sophisticated attacks.