CVE-2024-23239 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2024
A race condition was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, tvOS 17.4, watchOS 10.4. An app may be able to leak sensitive user information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-23239 represents a race condition flaw that affects multiple Apple operating systems including iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, tvOS 17.4, and watchOS 10.4. This type of race condition falls under the CWE-362 category of concurrent execution using shared resource vulnerabilities, where improper synchronization mechanisms allow for unpredictable behavior during simultaneous access to shared data structures. The issue specifically manifests when applications attempt to access or manipulate sensitive user information without proper state management protocols, creating potential security exposure windows.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate state handling within Apple's operating system frameworks that govern how applications interact with system resources and user data. When multiple processes or threads attempt to access the same memory locations or data structures simultaneously, the absence of proper locking mechanisms or synchronization protocols can result in inconsistent data states. This race condition creates opportunities for malicious applications to exploit timing gaps in the system's resource management, potentially allowing them to access or extract sensitive user information that should remain protected. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the operating system's concurrency control mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to shared resources during simultaneous operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-23239 extends beyond simple data leakage to encompass potential compromise of user privacy and system integrity across all affected Apple platforms. Attackers could leverage this race condition to gain unauthorized access to personal information, including but not limited to contact details, communication data, financial records, and authentication credentials. The vulnerability's presence across multiple operating systems indicates a systemic weakness in Apple's shared resource management architecture that could be exploited through various attack vectors. Security researchers have noted that such race conditions often serve as stepping stones for more sophisticated attacks, as they can provide initial access points that may lead to privilege escalation or further system compromise. The issue aligns with attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1003 category of Credential Access, where adversaries exploit system weaknesses to obtain sensitive information.
Apple's resolution of this vulnerability through the mentioned operating system updates demonstrates the company's approach to addressing concurrency-related security flaws through improved state management and synchronization protocols. The fixes implemented in iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, tvOS 17.4, and watchOS 10.4 likely involve enhanced locking mechanisms, better resource management procedures, and improved state tracking capabilities that prevent multiple threads or processes from accessing shared data structures simultaneously. Organizations and users should prioritize applying these updates immediately to mitigate the risk of exploitation, as the vulnerability could potentially be leveraged by threat actors to conduct targeted attacks against individual users or enterprise environments. The remediation approach aligns with industry best practices for race condition mitigation, emphasizing the importance of proper concurrency control in preventing unauthorized data access and system compromise.