CVE-2018-4351 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
A memory initialization issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue affected versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4351 represents a memory initialization flaw that existed in macOS versions prior to the release of macOS Mojave 10.14. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of memory safety issues that can potentially lead to system instability or exploitation by malicious actors. The problem specifically manifested in how the operating system handled memory allocation and initialization processes, creating potential attack surfaces that could be leveraged for privilege escalation or system compromise.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate memory handling mechanisms within the kernel or system-level components of macOS. When memory is not properly initialized before use, it can contain residual data from previous operations or remain in an unpredictable state. This condition creates opportunities for information disclosure, where sensitive data might be accessible through memory reads, or more severe exploitation possibilities where attackers could manipulate memory contents to execute arbitrary code. The issue is particularly concerning because it affects core operating system functions that handle memory management across different privilege levels.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability could enable attackers to gain elevated privileges on affected systems, potentially allowing them to execute malicious code with system-level access. The memory initialization flaw could be exploited through various attack vectors including kernel exploits or privilege escalation techniques that take advantage of the improper memory state. Systems running macOS versions prior to 10.14 would be particularly vulnerable as they lacked the improved memory handling protections that were implemented in the newer release. Organizations with legacy macOS installations would face significant security risks if they did not apply the necessary updates.
The remediation for CVE-2018-4351 required users to upgrade to macOS Mojave 10.14 or later versions where Apple implemented enhanced memory handling mechanisms. This update addressed the underlying memory initialization issues by improving how the operating system manages memory allocation and ensures proper initialization of memory regions before they are accessed by system processes. Security teams should prioritize patching affected systems and verify that all macOS installations have been updated to versions that contain the memory safety improvements. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping operating systems current with security patches and highlights the critical nature of memory safety in preventing exploitation of low-level system vulnerabilities. This issue aligns with CWE-119 which addresses "Improper Access to Memory" and represents a classic example of how memory management flaws can create persistent security risks in operating system kernels.