CVE-2018-4254 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
In macOS High Sierra before 10.13.5, an input validation issue existed in the kernel. This issue was addressed with improved input validation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4254 represents a critical input validation flaw discovered within the kernel of macOS High Sierra versions prior to 10.13.5. This issue resides at the core operating system level, where insufficient validation mechanisms allowed for potentially malicious input to be processed without proper sanitization. The kernel serves as the fundamental component that manages system resources and provides essential services to applications, making any vulnerability within this layer particularly dangerous as it can affect the entire system integrity and security posture.
This input validation weakness falls under the category of improper input sanitization and validation, which aligns with CWE-20 - Improper Input Validation. The flaw likely manifested when the kernel processed certain types of input data from user-space applications or system calls, failing to properly validate the data before using it in kernel operations. The vulnerability was specifically addressed through enhanced input validation measures that would have been implemented in the security update released with macOS 10.13.5. This remediation approach follows standard security practices for kernel-level vulnerabilities where the primary solution involves strengthening the validation mechanisms to prevent malformed or malicious input from being processed.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4254 extends beyond simple data corruption or system instability, as kernel-level vulnerabilities can potentially enable privilege escalation attacks, allowing attackers to gain elevated system privileges or execute arbitrary code with kernel-level access. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to bypass security controls, manipulate system resources, or establish persistent access to affected systems. The vulnerability represents a significant risk to macOS users running affected versions, as it could potentially be leveraged for advanced persistent threats or other sophisticated attack vectors that target the operating system's foundational security mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate deployment of the security update released by Apple, which included the necessary input validation improvements to prevent exploitation of the kernel-level flaw. System administrators should ensure all macOS systems are updated to version 10.13.5 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing robust monitoring for suspicious system behavior, maintaining updated security tooling, and following Apple's security advisories for any related vulnerabilities. The remediation approach aligns with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for kernel-level attacks, emphasizing the importance of keeping operating system components updated and maintaining proper input validation controls at all system levels. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation impact, as the vulnerability's kernel-level nature means that successful exploitation could provide attackers with complete system control.