CVE-2024-23253 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2024
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.4. An app may be able to access a user's Photos Library.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-23253 represents a significant permissions flaw in macOS Sonoma 14.4 that could potentially allow unauthorized applications to access user photos. This issue falls under the broader category of privilege escalation and data exposure vulnerabilities, where malicious or poorly designed applications might exploit insufficient access controls to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data. The problem specifically targets the Photos Library, which contains potentially sensitive personal information including photographs, videos, and associated metadata that users consider private and protected.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate restrictions on how applications can interact with the Photos Library framework within macOS. Apple's security model typically enforces strict sandboxing and permission controls to prevent applications from accessing user data without explicit authorization. However, in this case, additional restrictions were deemed insufficient to prevent unauthorized access, creating a potential attack vector where applications could bypass normal security boundaries. This flaw likely involves improper validation of application permissions or insufficient enforcement of the App Store's privacy requirements that should normally restrict access to user media libraries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker could potentially leverage this issue to access personal photos and videos, which might contain sensitive information, location data, or other personally identifiable details. The implications are particularly concerning given that photos libraries often contain comprehensive records of user activities, relationships, and personal life events. This vulnerability could enable surveillance, identity theft, or other malicious activities that exploit the intimate nature of photo collections. The issue affects users who have not yet updated to macOS Sonoma 14.4, where the fix has been implemented through enhanced permission controls and stricter enforcement of privacy boundaries.
The remediation for CVE-2024-23253 requires users to update to macOS Sonoma 14.4, which implements additional restrictions that properly enforce permissions for Photos Library access. This update addresses the underlying flaw by strengthening the sandboxing mechanisms and ensuring that applications must explicitly request and receive proper authorization before accessing user photo data. Organizations should prioritize this update as part of their security maintenance procedures, particularly in environments where users might be running older versions of macOS. The fix aligns with industry best practices for access control and follows the principle of least privilege, ensuring that applications only receive the minimum permissions necessary to perform their intended functions. Security teams should monitor for any applications that might attempt to access photo data without proper user consent, as this could indicate exploitation attempts or other malicious behavior that might be leveraging this vulnerability. The resolution demonstrates Apple's ongoing commitment to improving privacy controls and addressing security gaps that could compromise user data.
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control issues, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and data access. The fix implemented in macOS Sonoma 14.4 represents a critical security enhancement that addresses fundamental weaknesses in the operating system's permission model. Users should be aware that this vulnerability could potentially be exploited by malicious applications that have already gained access to the system, making the update process particularly urgent for all affected users.