CVE-2018-4418 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
A validation issue was addressed with improved input sanitization. This issue affected versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4418 represents a critical input validation flaw that existed in macOS versions prior to Mojave 10.14. This issue stems from inadequate sanitization of user inputs within the operating system's core components, creating potential attack vectors that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically affected the system's handling of malformed or unexpected input data, which could lead to unpredictable behavior and potential security breaches.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation where the system failed to properly sanitize or validate data before processing. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious inputs to bypass validation checks. The flaw likely occurred in kernel-level or system-level components where user-provided data was not adequately filtered or escaped before being processed by the operating system's internal mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4418 extends beyond simple data corruption or system instability. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or gain unauthorized access to system resources. The affected macOS versions prior to 10.14 would have been particularly vulnerable because they lacked the improved sanitization measures that were implemented in subsequent releases. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 which covers "Command and Scripting Interpreter" and could be exploited to execute malicious commands through improperly validated inputs.
The remediation for this vulnerability required Apple to implement enhanced input sanitization procedures across affected system components. The fix involved strengthening validation mechanisms to properly filter and sanitize all incoming data before it reaches critical system functions. Organizations should have immediately upgraded to macOS Mojave 10.14 or later versions to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should also include regular system updates and monitoring for similar input validation issues in other software components. Security teams should implement continuous vulnerability assessment procedures to identify and address similar weaknesses in system architectures, particularly focusing on kernel-level input handling and data validation processes that are fundamental to operating system security.