CVE-2018-4403 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
This issue was addressed by removing additional entitlements. This issue affected versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4403 represents a significant security flaw in Apple's macOS operating system that existed prior to the release of macOS Mojave 10.14.1. This issue falls under the category of entitlements management problems, where applications or system components were granted excessive privileges that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability was particularly concerning because it allowed for potential privilege escalation attacks that could compromise the integrity and security of the affected systems. The root cause of this vulnerability stemmed from how the operating system handled entitlements for certain system processes and applications, creating opportunities for unauthorized access to protected resources and functionality.
The technical flaw in CVE-2018-4403 specifically involved the improper handling of additional entitlements within the macOS security framework. Entitlements in macOS function as permissions that define what resources and capabilities an application or process can access within the system. When these entitlements were not properly restricted or validated, they created pathways for attackers to gain elevated privileges beyond what was intended for standard applications. This issue was particularly dangerous because it could be exploited to bypass security controls that are fundamental to the operating system's protection mechanisms. The vulnerability was classified as a privilege escalation issue, where an attacker could leverage the improperly managed entitlements to execute code with higher privileges than normally permitted, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4403 was substantial across various deployment scenarios within enterprise and consumer environments. Organizations running affected versions of macOS were at risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources, as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain elevated privileges without proper authentication. This created a significant threat vector for attackers targeting macOS systems, particularly in environments where multiple users or applications interacted with the system. The vulnerability also posed risks to mobile device management systems and enterprise security controls, as it could undermine the security posture of organizations relying on macOS for their computing infrastructure. The impact extended beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including data exfiltration, persistence mechanisms, and further exploitation of other system vulnerabilities.
Apple addressed this vulnerability through a targeted fix that focused on removing additional entitlements that were deemed excessive or unnecessary for normal system operation. The remediation strategy involved modifying the entitlements granted to specific system components and applications, ensuring that they only possessed the minimum required permissions to function properly. This approach aligns with the principle of least privilege, a fundamental security concept that is referenced in various security frameworks including the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks and NIST cybersecurity guidelines. The fix was implemented as part of the macOS Mojave 10.14.1 update, which included comprehensive entitlement management improvements. Organizations should have immediately deployed this update to protect their systems from exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, as the patch effectively closed the security gap that could be leveraged by attackers. The remediation process also involved system administrators reviewing entitlement configurations for third-party applications to ensure they were not inadvertently granting excessive permissions that could be exploited in similar ways. This vulnerability serves as a critical example of how entitlement management flaws can create serious security risks in operating systems and underscores the importance of regular security updates and proper privilege management in maintaining system integrity.