CVE-2018-4452 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2020
A memory consumption issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Mojave 10.14.3, Security Update 2019-001 High Sierra, Security Update 2019-001 Sierra, macOS Mojave 10.14.2, Security Update 2018-003 High Sierra, Security Update 2018-006 Sierra. A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4452 represents a memory consumption issue that was discovered in Apple's macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to the security updates released in 2018 and 2019. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory management flaws that can potentially be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized system privileges. The issue stems from inadequate memory handling mechanisms within the operating system's kernel or system libraries, creating a potential vector for privilege escalation attacks. According to industry standards, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and CWE-131, which addresses incorrect calculation of memory block sizes. The flaw allows for excessive memory allocation that could lead to system instability or more severe security implications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a malicious application that can manipulate memory allocation patterns to consume system resources beyond normal operational limits. When an application attempts to allocate memory in a manner that bypasses proper validation checks, it can trigger a condition where the system's memory management subsystem becomes compromised. This particular flaw likely involves improper bounds checking or insufficient memory validation during allocation processes, allowing attackers to craft specific memory requests that could either cause denial of service conditions or provide pathways for executing arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The exploitation mechanism typically requires an application to be running with user-level privileges, which then leverages the memory handling flaw to escalate to system-level privileges through kernel memory corruption or manipulation. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers the exploitation of system privileges through kernel-level vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4452 extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, as the vulnerability could enable sophisticated attackers to gain complete system control through privilege escalation. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially execute malicious code with root privileges, effectively compromising the entire system. The memory consumption aspect of this vulnerability means that even if immediate system compromise isn't achieved, the attacker could use it as a stepping stone for more extensive attacks, potentially leading to data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, or further network reconnaissance. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions, including High Sierra, Sierra, and various Mojave releases, indicating a widespread exposure across Apple's operating system ecosystem. Organizations running affected systems face significant risk, particularly in environments where user applications have elevated privileges or where the operating system is used in enterprise or government contexts where security is paramount. The memory handling flaw creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by both automated malware and targeted attack campaigns.
The recommended mitigations for CVE-2018-4452 focus primarily on applying the vendor-provided security updates that address the underlying memory handling issues. Apple released specific security updates for High Sierra, Sierra, and Mojave that resolve this vulnerability through improved memory allocation validation and enhanced bounds checking mechanisms. System administrators should prioritize deployment of Security Update 2019-001 for High Sierra and Sierra, as well as Security Update 2018-003 for High Sierra and Security Update 2018-006 for Sierra. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive patch management policies that ensure all macOS systems receive timely security updates. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual memory consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and system administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized applications from running on critical systems. The vulnerability's classification as a privilege escalation issue also necessitates regular security audits and privilege reviews to minimize the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as macOS sandboxing, code signing enforcement, and regular system integrity checks to provide defense-in-depth against this and similar memory-related vulnerabilities.