CVE-2023-41995 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2023
A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma 14. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition that emerged in Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma 14. The flaw stems from inadequate memory management practices where freed memory regions are still being accessed by application processes, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to escalate privileges. The issue falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free, which is a well-documented vulnerability pattern where software continues to reference memory after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation. The security implications are severe as this vulnerability allows an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, effectively bypassing the operating system's privilege separation mechanisms. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the memory safety model that Apple employs to protect system integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an application can manipulate memory allocation and deallocation sequences in such a way that it can control the contents of freed memory regions. When the system attempts to access this memory again, the application can influence what data is read or written, potentially allowing for code execution at the kernel level. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because kernel-level privileges provide complete system control, enabling attackers to modify system files, disable security features, or establish persistent backdoors. The attack surface is expanded by the fact that this requires only a single application to be compromised, as the vulnerability exists within the operating system's memory management subsystem rather than requiring user interaction or physical access to the device. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the use of local privilege escalation techniques to gain system-level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation as it fundamentally undermines the security model of modern operating systems. Once an attacker gains kernel-level privileges, they can effectively bypass all security controls including sandboxing, code signing, and system integrity protection mechanisms. The vulnerability affects all devices running the affected operating system versions, making it a widespread concern for enterprise environments and individual users alike. Organizations must consider the potential for complete system compromise and data exfiltration, as kernel-level access enables attackers to access all system resources including encrypted data, user credentials, and network communications. The remediation process requires immediate deployment of the security updates provided by Apple, which implement improved memory management techniques to prevent the conditions that lead to the use-after-free scenario. Security teams should prioritize this vulnerability in their patch management schedules and monitor for any indicators of exploitation attempts in their environments.
The fix implemented by Apple addresses the core memory management issue through enhanced memory allocation and deallocation procedures that prevent the reuse of freed memory regions in ways that could be exploited. This type of fix typically involves implementing stricter memory validation checks, adding additional synchronization mechanisms, or modifying the garbage collection behavior to ensure memory regions remain in a consistent state. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing challenge in modern operating systems where complex memory management systems can introduce subtle flaws that may not be apparent during initial development or testing phases. This case highlights the importance of continuous security assessment and the need for robust memory safety practices in system-level software development. Organizations should consider implementing additional monitoring and detection capabilities to identify potential exploitation attempts, as the nature of use-after-free vulnerabilities can sometimes be difficult to detect through traditional security measures alone. The vulnerability also underscores the critical importance of timely patch deployment and maintaining current operating system versions to protect against known exploits.