CVE-2020-10001 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/03/2021
An input validation issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.1, Security Update 2020-001 Catalina, Security Update 2020-007 Mojave. A malicious application may be able to read restricted memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical input validation flaw that emerged in Apple's macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to the mentioned security updates. The issue stems from inadequate memory handling mechanisms that fail to properly validate input data before processing, creating potential pathways for unauthorized memory access. The vulnerability was classified as a memory safety issue that could be exploited by malicious applications to bypass normal access controls and read restricted memory regions. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of memory corruption flaws that can lead to privilege escalation or information disclosure attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices where the system fails to properly sanitize or verify data inputs before they are processed in memory operations. When applications or system components receive input data, the flawed memory handling routines do not adequately check for malformed or unexpected data patterns that could lead to memory access violations. This weakness allows a specially crafted malicious application to manipulate memory access patterns and potentially read data from restricted memory areas that should normally be protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically impacts the kernel memory management subsystem where input validation should occur before memory operations are executed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential attack vectors that could be exploited to gain elevated privileges or access sensitive system data. Attackers could leverage this flaw to read kernel memory, potentially extracting sensitive information such as encryption keys, user credentials, or other confidential data stored in protected memory regions. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions including Catalina and Mojave, indicating it was a widespread issue that required coordinated patching across different operating system releases. Organizations using these affected versions face increased risk of data breaches or system compromise if proper mitigation measures are not implemented.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve applying the recommended security updates from Apple, which include the specific security updates for Big Sur 11.1, Security Update 2020-001 for Catalina, and Security Update 2020-007 for Mojave. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across all affected macOS installations to eliminate the memory handling flaws that enable unauthorized access. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior and consider network segmentation to limit potential attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack framework, particularly those involving memory corruption and privilege escalation techniques. Security controls should focus on input validation, memory protection mechanisms, and regular system updates to prevent exploitation of similar flaws. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of untrusted applications that could potentially exploit this type of memory handling vulnerability.