CVE-2019-8855 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2020
An access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15. A malicious application may be able to access restricted files.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-8855 represents a sandbox escape flaw in Apple's macOS operating system that was resolved in the Catalina 10.15 release. This issue stems from insufficient sandbox restrictions that allowed malicious applications to bypass security boundaries and access files that should have been protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically affects the macOS sandboxing mechanism which is designed to limit applications' access to system resources and user data. The flaw creates a pathway for potentially harmful software to circumvent the security controls that normally isolate applications from each other and from sensitive system components.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation and access control bypass, which is classified as CWE-284 according to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The sandbox restrictions that were inadequate allowed malicious applications to gain unauthorized access to restricted files and directories that typically should be protected from application access. This weakness in the sandbox implementation creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by attackers to access sensitive user data, system configuration files, or other protected resources. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement that is fundamental to secure system design.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-8855 is significant as it undermines the core security model of macOS and could potentially allow attackers to access confidential information stored in restricted locations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to user documents, system logs, configuration files, or other sensitive data that should normally be protected by the sandboxing mechanism. The threat landscape is particularly concerning because this vulnerability could be exploited by malware that masquerades as legitimate applications, making detection more difficult. The exploitation could lead to data theft, system compromise, or further escalation attacks that leverage the access to restricted system resources. This vulnerability affects all macOS versions prior to Catalina 10.15 and represents a critical weakness in the operating system's security architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-8855 focus primarily on upgrading to macOS Catalina 10.15 or later versions where the sandbox restrictions have been properly enhanced. System administrators should prioritize immediate deployment of the security update to protect against exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include implementing strict application whitelisting policies, monitoring for suspicious file access patterns, and maintaining comprehensive system logging to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider deploying endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns consistent with sandbox escape attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining current system patches and following security best practices for operating system maintenance. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms that attackers could leverage to establish long-term access to compromised systems.