CVE-2018-4288 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed with improved memory handling. This issue affected versions prior to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4288 represents a collection of memory corruption issues that were prevalent in macOS versions prior to the release of macOS High Sierra 10.13.6. These memory corruption flaws stem from inadequate memory management practices within the operating system's core components, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to exploit system stability and security. The issue affects the fundamental memory handling mechanisms that govern how the operating system allocates, manages, and deallocates memory resources during normal operations and system interactions.
The technical flaw underlying CVE-2018-4288 manifests through improper memory handling routines that fail to adequately validate memory boundaries, leading to potential buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption scenarios. These vulnerabilities typically occur when the system attempts to write data beyond allocated memory regions or accesses memory that has already been freed, creating opportunities for arbitrary code execution or system crashes. The root cause lies in the absence of robust memory validation checks and proper boundary verification mechanisms within the kernel and system libraries that process user input and system calls. Such memory corruption vulnerabilities are categorized under CWE-122, which specifically addresses buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-416, which covers use-after-free errors.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4288 extends beyond simple system instability to encompass potential security breaches and unauthorized access capabilities. Attackers who successfully exploit these memory corruption vulnerabilities can potentially execute malicious code with elevated privileges, bypass security controls, or cause denial of service conditions that compromise system integrity. The vulnerabilities affect the core operating system functionality, making them particularly dangerous as they can be leveraged to undermine the fundamental security model of macOS. These issues align with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves command and scripting interpreter, and T1068, which addresses exploit for privilege escalation, as attackers can leverage memory corruption to gain elevated system access and execute arbitrary commands.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4288 primarily involve upgrading to macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 or later versions where Apple has implemented improved memory handling mechanisms and memory safety controls. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment and ensure all endpoints are updated to the latest macOS versions to eliminate exposure to these memory corruption vulnerabilities. Additional protective measures include implementing application sandboxing, monitoring system logs for unusual memory access patterns, and maintaining regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment to ensure compatibility with existing applications and system configurations.