CVE-2020-10006 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2020
This issue was addressed with improved entitlements. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1. A malicious application may be able to access restricted files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw in macOS Big Sur that allowed malicious applications to bypass entitlement restrictions and access protected system resources. The issue stemmed from insufficient validation of application permissions within the operating system's security framework, creating a pathway for unauthorized file access that could compromise system integrity. The vulnerability affected the entitlements mechanism that governs which applications can access specific system resources, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges and access sensitive data. This flaw particularly impacted the macOS security model by undermining the principle of least privilege that is fundamental to secure system design.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involved a weakness in how the system validated application entitlements during runtime operations. Attackers could exploit this by crafting malicious applications that leveraged the flawed entitlement validation to access restricted files and directories that should have been protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically targeted the macOS sandboxing mechanisms and entitlement enforcement subsystems, allowing malicious software to circumvent normal access controls. This flaw could be exploited through various attack vectors including malicious app installation, privilege escalation techniques, or by leveraging existing legitimate applications with modified entitlements. The vulnerability's impact was significant because it directly compromised the core security model of macOS, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive system information, user data, and protected system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access to encompass broader security implications for macOS systems. Organizations relying on macOS for business operations faced potential data breaches, privilege escalation attacks, and system compromise risks. The vulnerability could be exploited by threat actors to gain persistent access to systems, potentially leading to advanced persistent threat scenarios. Security professionals noted that this flaw could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where macOS systems handle sensitive corporate data and where traditional security controls might be insufficient to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability also highlighted gaps in the macOS entitlement validation system that could affect other security mechanisms relying on similar access control patterns. System administrators needed to implement immediate mitigations while awaiting the official patch release to prevent potential exploitation.
Apple addressed this vulnerability through comprehensive entitlement validation improvements in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, implementing stronger checks for application permissions and access controls. The fix involved enhancing the entitlement verification process to ensure that applications could not bypass security restrictions through malformed entitlement requests or exploitation of validation logic flaws. Security researchers recommended that organizations deploy the macOS Big Sur 11.0.1 update immediately to remediate the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation. The mitigation strategy also included monitoring for suspicious application behavior and implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting and enhanced system monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing inadequate access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized access to protected resources. The fix demonstrates the importance of robust entitlement validation in modern operating systems and represents a critical improvement in macOS security architecture that aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and persistence through access control bypass. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment and implement additional defensive measures to protect against similar access control flaws in other systems and applications.