CVE-2024-22452 in Display and Peripheral Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2024
Dell Display and Peripheral Manager for macOS prior to 1.3 contains an improper access control vulnerability. A low privilege user could potentially exploit this vulnerability by modifying files in the installation folder to execute arbitrary code, leading to privilege escalation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-22452 affects Dell Display and Peripheral Manager for macOS versions prior to 1.3, representing a critical improper access control flaw that undermines the security posture of affected systems. This vulnerability resides within the application's file permissions and directory access controls, creating an exploitable condition where unauthorized users can manipulate critical system components. The flaw stems from inadequate privilege validation mechanisms that fail to properly restrict file modification capabilities within the application's installation directory structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through insufficient access control checks that permit low privilege users to modify files in the application's installation folder without proper authorization. Attackers can exploit this weakness by placing malicious code within the designated installation paths, effectively bypassing the normal security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability specifically targets the application's file system permissions model, where the installer or application runtime fails to enforce proper access controls that would normally prevent non-privileged users from modifying critical application components.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant privilege escalation vector that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized file modifications, as the compromised application can be leveraged to gain broader system access, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The low privilege requirement for exploitation means that even users with minimal system permissions can leverage this vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where standard security boundaries may be insufficient.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software applications. This weakness directly enables privilege escalation attacks by allowing unauthorized modification of application components that should remain protected from user interference. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the T1068 adversary technique for local privilege escalation through application misconfiguration. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient access control mechanisms in system applications can be leveraged to establish persistent access and execute malicious payloads with elevated system privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-22452 require immediate deployment of Dell's official patch version 1.3 or later, which addresses the improper access control conditions through proper file system permission enforcement. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify affected installations and ensure all instances are updated. Additional protective measures include implementing strict file system monitoring for unauthorized modifications to the application installation directories, enforcing application whitelisting policies, and conducting regular security audits of system applications. Organizations should also consider implementing least privilege principles for user accounts and regularly review access control policies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other system components.