CVE-2018-4242 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. macOS before 10.13.5 is affected. The issue involves the "Hypervisor" component. It allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted app.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4242 represents a critical security flaw within Apple's macOS operating system affecting versions prior to 10.13.5. This weakness resides within the Hypervisor component which serves as a foundational element for virtualization capabilities on Apple devices. The issue demonstrates how low-level system components can be exploited to compromise the entire operating environment, creating potential entry points for sophisticated attackers seeking to elevate their privileges or disrupt system operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of memory management within the Hypervisor framework. Attackers can craft malicious applications that exploit memory corruption flaws to gain unauthorized access to privileged execution contexts. This memory corruption vulnerability operates at a level that bypasses standard user-space protections, allowing the malicious code to execute with elevated privileges typically restricted to system-level processes. The flaw essentially creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate the hypervisor's memory structures, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations and individual users relying on Apple devices for sensitive operations. The ability to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context means that attackers could gain root access to affected systems, potentially leading to data exfiltration, persistent backdoors, or complete system takeover. The denial of service aspect further compounds the threat as attackers could destabilize systems through memory corruption, creating unpredictable behavior that might go unnoticed until critical system failures occur. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where macOS devices handle confidential data and critical business operations.
The exploitation of CVE-2018-4242 aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including privilege escalation and execution through malicious applications. The vulnerability maps to CWE-125 which describes out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-119 which covers weaknesses in memory management. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including mandatory system updates to macOS 10.13.5 or later versions, along with enhanced application sandboxing policies and monitoring for suspicious execution patterns. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish network monitoring protocols to detect anomalous behavior indicative of hypervisor-based attacks.