CVE-2022-26728 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 05/26/2022
This issue was addressed with improved entitlements. This issue is fixed in Security Update 2022-004 Catalina, macOS Monterey 12.4, macOS Big Sur 11.6.6. A malicious application may be able to access restricted files.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2022
This vulnerability represents a critical entitlements flaw in apple's operating systems that allowed malicious applications to bypass normal access controls and access restricted files. The issue stems from insufficient entitlement validation mechanisms within the system's security framework, creating a pathway for unauthorized file access that could compromise system integrity. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of macos including catalina, big sur, and monterey, indicating a widespread impact across apple's desktop operating system ecosystem. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a privilege escalation vector that could enable attackers to access sensitive system files, user data, and potentially escalate their access to higher privileges within the operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of entitlements during application execution, where applications could leverage malformed or improperly validated entitlements to gain access to restricted file systems. This flaw operates at the kernel level within macos security architecture, where the system's entitlement checking mechanisms failed to properly validate the access rights of applications attempting to access protected resources. The vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement. Attackers could exploit this by crafting malicious applications that manipulate entitlements to access files that should normally be restricted to system processes or specific user groups.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file access, as it could enable attackers to exfiltrate sensitive data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access within compromised systems. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where macos is used for enterprise or government workloads, where the unauthorized access to restricted files could lead to data breaches or system compromise. The exploitation of this vulnerability could allow attackers to access user credentials, system logs, configuration files, and other sensitive information that should remain protected. From an attack chain perspective, this vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially enabling lateral movement within networks or privilege escalation to system administrator levels.
Security updates addressing this vulnerability implement enhanced entitlement validation mechanisms that properly enforce access controls and prevent unauthorized applications from accessing restricted file systems. The fixes included in security update 2022-004 and subsequent releases strengthen the entitlement checking process and improve the validation of application access rights. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these security updates across all affected macos systems to mitigate the risk of exploitation. Mitigation strategies include implementing application whitelisting, monitoring for suspicious file access patterns, and maintaining updated security monitoring tools that can detect unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security updates and proper entitlement management in preventing privilege escalation attacks, aligning with security best practices outlined in nist cybersecurity framework and iso 27001 standards for information security management.