CVE-2020-3849 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.3. A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3849 represents a memory corruption flaw that emerged within the macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to macOS Catalina 10.15.3. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify data inputs processed by system components. The vulnerability exists at the kernel level or system framework where user-supplied data is accepted without adequate security checks, creating a potential entry point for malicious actors to exploit the system's memory management functions.
The technical nature of this flaw falls under the category of memory corruption vulnerabilities, which are classified as CWE-121 in the Common Weakness Enumeration system. This particular vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution through remote attack vectors, meaning that an attacker does not need physical access to the target system to exploit the flaw. The vulnerability manifests when malicious input is processed by the affected system components, potentially leading to buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory-related issues that can be leveraged to execute malicious code.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to macOS environments as it enables remote code execution capabilities that could be exploited by threat actors to gain unauthorized access to systems. The potential for unexpected application termination represents just the beginning of the security implications, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to install malware, exfiltrate sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within affected systems. The remote nature of the attack vector increases the attack surface significantly, as the vulnerability can be exploited from anywhere on the internet without requiring local system access.
The remediation for CVE-2020-3849 was addressed through the release of macOS Catalina 10.15.3, which implemented improved input validation mechanisms to prevent the memory corruption conditions that led to the vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems to ensure that the improved validation controls are properly implemented. Security teams should monitor for any exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability and implement network-based detection measures. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive system updates, regular security assessments, and continuous monitoring of system logs for signs of exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate privileges and move laterally within affected networks.
This vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the execution and privilege escalation domains, specifically representing a technique that could be used to establish persistence and maintain access to compromised systems. The memory corruption nature of the flaw makes it particularly dangerous as it can be used to bypass security controls that rely on proper memory management and input validation. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment and ensure that their incident response procedures include specific protocols for handling memory corruption exploits that could lead to full system compromise.