CVE-2018-4304 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue affected versions prior to iOS 12, macOS Mojave 10.14, tvOS 12, watchOS 5.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4304 represents a denial of service flaw that impacted multiple Apple operating systems including iOS versions prior to 12, macOS Mojave 10.14, tvOS 12, and watchOS 5. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within Apple's operating system frameworks, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited to disrupt normal system operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper validation controls in preventing unauthorized system disruption and maintaining service availability.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate validation of specific input parameters within Apple's system components, allowing malicious actors to craft crafted inputs that trigger unexpected system behavior leading to complete service disruption. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" which is a fundamental security weakness that enables various attack patterns including denial of service, information disclosure, and privilege escalation. The flaw operates at the system level where normal processing flows are interrupted through carefully constructed inputs that bypass expected validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4304 extends beyond simple system crashes to encompass broader service availability concerns that could affect user productivity and system reliability. When exploited, this vulnerability could allow attackers to remotely or locally cause devices to become unresponsive or require manual rebooting, effectively creating a denial of service condition that impacts the usability of affected Apple devices. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple products including mobile devices, desktop systems, and embedded systems, making it particularly concerning from a security operations perspective. Organizations managing Apple device fleets would face significant operational challenges including increased support requests, potential service interruptions, and the need for emergency patch deployment.
Apple addressed this vulnerability through improved validation mechanisms that were implemented in the respective operating system updates. The fix demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date system components and the critical role that vendor security patches play in maintaining system integrity. Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers "OS File and Registry Key Permissions Modification" and represents a broader class of denial of service vulnerabilities that can be exploited through input manipulation. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies that prioritize timely deployment of security updates, particularly for operating systems that handle sensitive data or provide critical services. The vulnerability also highlights the need for robust monitoring and detection capabilities to identify potential exploitation attempts, as the denial of service condition would likely be accompanied by unusual system behavior that could be detected through appropriate security monitoring solutions.