CVE-2018-4462 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
A validation issue was addressed with improved input sanitization. This issue affected versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-4462 represents a validation issue that was successfully mitigated through enhanced input sanitization measures within Apple's macOS operating system. This security flaw specifically impacted systems running versions prior to macOS Mojave 10.14.2, indicating that the vulnerability existed in the pre-release versions of the operating system's security framework. The issue falls under the broader category of input validation weaknesses that can potentially allow malicious actors to exploit improper handling of user-supplied data within system processes. The vulnerability was classified as a validation issue, which aligns with common security weaknesses documented in the CWE database under CWE-20, which encompasses "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental security concern.
The technical flaw underlying CVE-2018-4462 stemmed from insufficient sanitization of input parameters within macOS Mojave's security architecture. This weakness likely manifested in how the system processed user inputs or external data streams that were not properly validated before being utilized in critical system operations. The vulnerability's impact was particularly concerning given that it affected the core operating system's security mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to bypass validation checks that should have prevented malicious input from being processed. The remediation approach involved implementing improved input sanitization protocols that would filter and validate all incoming data before it could be processed by system components, thereby preventing the exploitation of malformed inputs that could have led to unauthorized access or system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-4462 extended beyond simple input validation concerns to potentially affect the integrity of macOS security features. Systems running affected versions of macOS were vulnerable to attacks that could exploit the validation gap to manipulate system behavior through carefully crafted inputs. This vulnerability could have enabled attackers to perform actions that should have been restricted by proper input validation, potentially leading to privilege escalation or other security breaches. The issue's presence in pre-release versions of macOS Mojave indicates that it was a critical concern that required immediate attention before the full release of the operating system. Organizations running affected systems were at risk of exploitation through techniques that could leverage the validation gap to bypass security controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-4462 centered on updating to macOS Mojave 10.14.2 or later versions where the improved input sanitization measures were implemented. Security administrators should have prioritized patching affected systems to ensure that the enhanced validation protocols were active. The remediation process also involved implementing additional monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Organizations should have conducted vulnerability assessments to identify systems running affected macOS versions and prioritized their update schedules accordingly. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could have been leveraged as part of a broader attack chain under techniques related to privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through input manipulation. The fix implemented by Apple aligned with industry best practices for preventing input validation attacks and demonstrated the importance of robust sanitization measures in operating system security architecture. Security professionals should have maintained awareness of this vulnerability through vulnerability management systems and ensured that their patch management processes included verification of the successful implementation of the input sanitization improvements.