CVE-2024-23224 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/23/2024
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.3, macOS Ventura 13.6.4. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-23224 represents a security flaw in apple's operating systems that could potentially allow malicious applications to access sensitive user data. This issue was specifically addressed through enhanced validation mechanisms and improved access controls within the system's security architecture. The vulnerability affects both macOS Sonoma 14.3 and macOS Ventura 13.6.4, indicating that these versions contain the necessary patches to mitigate the risk. The flaw falls under the category of information disclosure vulnerabilities where unauthorized applications could potentially exploit system weaknesses to gain access to user data that should remain protected. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in modern operating systems where user privacy and data protection are paramount considerations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely stems from insufficient validation of application permissions or inadequate sandboxing mechanisms that should normally prevent unauthorized data access. According to CWE classification systems, this vulnerability would likely map to CWE-200, which deals with information exposure, or potentially CWE-284, which addresses improper access control. The issue demonstrates a failure in the system's privilege escalation controls or a weakness in the application sandboxing model that allows applications to bypass normal security boundaries. Attackers could potentially leverage this flaw to access personal information, documents, or other sensitive data stored on affected systems. The fix implemented in the updated versions involves strengthening the checks that validate application access rights and ensuring that proper authorization mechanisms are enforced before allowing data access operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-23224 extends beyond simple data access concerns, as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks that could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, or corporate espionage. Organizations running affected macOS versions face increased risk of data breaches, particularly in environments where sensitive information is stored on user devices. The vulnerability could be exploited by malicious applications that have gained user trust through social engineering or other means, making the attack vector more insidious. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat landscape assessment, particularly when evaluating the security posture of endpoints running older versions of macOS. The issue also highlights the importance of timely patch management and the potential consequences of delaying security updates in enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-23224 should prioritize immediate deployment of the security patches available for macOS Sonoma 14.3 and macOS Ventura 13.6.4. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory checks to identify all affected devices and implement mandatory update policies. Additionally, organizations should review their existing security monitoring procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts, particularly looking for unusual application behavior or unauthorized data access patterns. The implementation of additional security controls such as application whitelisting, enhanced endpoint detection and response solutions, and regular security audits can provide defense-in-depth measures against potential exploitation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be mapped to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, making it important for security teams to monitor for these specific attack patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to help prevent social engineering attacks that might attempt to leverage this vulnerability through malicious application installation.