CVE-2023-40449 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1, macOS Monterey 12.7.1, iOS 16.7.2 and iPadOS 16.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.1, macOS Sonoma 14.1. An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2023
This vulnerability represents a memory handling issue that could potentially be exploited to cause denial-of-service conditions across multiple Apple operating systems. The flaw was identified as a weakness in how the affected systems manage memory resources, particularly when processing certain application inputs or operations. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Apple platforms including iOS 16.7.2 and 17.1, iPadOS 16.7.2 and 17.1, macOS Monterey 12.7.1, Ventura 13.6.1, and Sonoma 14.1. The issue demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in operating system security, as improper handling can lead to system instability and service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under memory corruption patterns that can be exploited to trigger system-level failures. While the specific memory handling flaw is not detailed in the description, such issues typically involve buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or improper memory deallocation that can cause applications to crash or hang. The fix implemented by Apple addresses the root cause of how memory is allocated, managed, and released within the operating system's kernel and system frameworks. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered by malicious applications that exploit memory handling weaknesses to cause unintended system behavior.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to system availability and user experience across Apple's ecosystem. The denial-of-service condition could affect users in various scenarios including when running legitimate applications or when exposed to malicious payloads. The vulnerability's presence across multiple versions and platforms indicates a fundamental issue in Apple's memory management subsystem that required coordinated patching across their entire operating system portfolio. Security researchers and threat actors may have been actively monitoring for such memory handling flaws given their potential for system-level exploitation.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves applying the appropriate security updates released by Apple for each affected operating system version. Users should immediately install the latest updates for iOS 17.1, iPadOS 17.1, macOS Monterey 12.7.1, iOS 16.7.2, iPadOS 16.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.1, and macOS Sonoma 14.1. System administrators should prioritize deployment of these patches across enterprise environments to ensure comprehensive protection. The vulnerability's classification aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of array indices, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities. From an adversary perspective, this flaw would be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service and potentially T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage in exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement monitoring for unusual system behavior or application crashes that might indicate exploitation attempts.