CVE-2023-36862 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2023
A downgrade issue affecting Intel-based Mac computers was addressed with additional code-signing restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.5. An app may be able to determine a user’s current location.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-36862 represents a significant security flaw affecting Intel-based mac computers that stems from inadequate code-signing restrictions implemented by apple's operating system. This downgrade issue specifically targets the macOS Ventura 13.5 release and demonstrates how insufficient cryptographic controls can create persistent security weaknesses in enterprise and consumer environments. The vulnerability allows malicious applications to potentially determine a user's current location, creating a serious privacy risk that extends beyond typical application behavior. The issue arises from the failure to properly enforce code-signing policies that should prevent unauthorized applications from accessing sensitive system resources, particularly location services that are protected under apple's security framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how the operating system validates application signatures during software execution, particularly when dealing with legacy applications or those attempting to downgrade to previous system versions. This weakness creates an attack surface where applications can bypass normal security controls and access location data through improper code-signing validation. The vulnerability operates at the system-level security controls where apple's code-signing mechanisms fail to properly enforce integrity checks, allowing applications to exploit legitimate system interfaces to obtain location information. This flaw aligns with CWE-377 - Insecure Temporary File and CWE-310 - Cryptographic Issues, as it represents a failure in proper cryptographic validation and temporary file handling during system operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant threat to user privacy and enterprise security posture, particularly in environments where location tracking could be exploited for targeted attacks or data exfiltration. The ability for applications to determine user location without proper authorization represents a serious breach of user privacy and could enable sophisticated social engineering attacks. Organizations relying on mac computers for business operations face increased risk of location-based targeted attacks, while individual users experience potential exposure of their personal location data. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond immediate privacy concerns to include potential exploitation for credential theft, physical security breaches, and advanced persistent threat activities that leverage location intelligence.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-36862 should prioritize immediate deployment of macOS Ventura 13.5 updates, which contain the necessary code-signing restrictions to prevent exploitation. Security administrators should implement additional monitoring of location service access patterns and establish strict application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from accessing location data. The mitigation approach should align with ATT&CK technique T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 - Phishing, as it addresses the exploitation of system interfaces and potential attack vectors that leverage location data. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can enforce additional security controls beyond what is provided by the operating system update. Regular security assessments should verify that code-signing restrictions are properly enforced and that no legacy applications can bypass the updated security controls. The vulnerability's resolution through the macOS 13.5 update demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and the potential consequences of delayed system updates in preventing exploitation of known security weaknesses.