CVE-2020-9846 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 02/27/2023
A logic issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.0.1. A malicious application may be able to access local users' Apple IDs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9846 represents a logic flaw in macOS that stems from inadequate state management within the operating system's authentication mechanisms. This issue specifically affects the handling of Apple ID credentials and local user account access controls, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized applications to gain access to sensitive user authentication data. The flaw exists in the way macOS manages the state transitions between different authentication contexts, particularly when local applications attempt to interact with Apple ID services. This vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper access control implementation and credential isolation mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized applications from accessing user authentication tokens or account information. The issue was particularly concerning because it could allow a malicious application to potentially impersonate a legitimate user or access their Apple ID credentials without proper authorization.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper state management during Apple ID authentication flows within the macOS operating system. When applications attempt to access Apple ID services, the system should maintain strict isolation between different application contexts and ensure that only authorized processes can access user credentials. However, the flawed state management implementation allowed for potential state leakage or improper access control enforcement, creating a window where malicious applications could exploit the system's credential handling mechanisms. This logic issue could be exploited through carefully crafted application behavior that manipulates the system's internal state transitions, potentially allowing for credential harvesting or unauthorized access to Apple ID accounts. The vulnerability specifically affects how the operating system manages the transition between local application contexts and Apple ID authentication services, creating a potential attack surface that should have been protected by proper access controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-9846 extends beyond simple credential theft, as it represents a fundamental flaw in macOS's user authentication security model. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to access not just Apple ID credentials but also gain insights into user account patterns, potentially enabling more sophisticated attacks such as account takeover or credential reuse attacks. The implications are particularly severe because Apple ID accounts often serve as gateways to multiple services including iCloud, App Store, and other Apple ecosystem components, meaning that compromise of a single Apple ID could lead to broader system access. This vulnerability could also facilitate persistence mechanisms where attackers maintain access to user accounts even after initial compromise, as the flawed state management could allow for continued unauthorized access to Apple ID services. The impact is further amplified by the fact that this vulnerability affects the core operating system authentication mechanisms, making it difficult for users to detect or prevent the unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-9846 focus primarily on applying the official security update that addresses the state management issue in macOS Monterey 12.0.1. Users should immediately install the latest macOS updates to ensure proper state management implementation and access control enforcement. Security administrators should implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior that might attempt to exploit similar state management vulnerabilities, though specific detection mechanisms for this particular issue may be limited. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting to prevent malicious applications from running with elevated privileges that could potentially exploit this vulnerability. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper state management protocols that ensure isolation between different authentication contexts and prevent unauthorized access to Apple ID credentials. Security professionals should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts that might leverage this type of logic flaw in state management. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper access control implementation and the need for comprehensive security testing of authentication mechanisms, particularly those that handle sensitive user credentials and account information. The fix aligns with industry best practices for secure state management and access control as defined in various security standards and frameworks that emphasize proper isolation and privilege enforcement mechanisms.