CVE-2024-23275 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/08/2024
A race condition was addressed with additional validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, macOS Ventura 13.6.5. An app may be able to access protected user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2026
This vulnerability represents a race condition flaw that emerged in apple's macOS operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to the mentioned security updates. The issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms during critical system operations, creating a window where malicious applications could exploit temporal inconsistencies in the system's access controls. The race condition occurs when multiple processes or threads attempt to access shared resources simultaneously, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security breaches. According to the security advisory, the flaw allows an application to access protected user data that should normally be restricted to authorized processes only, representing a significant compromise to user privacy and system integrity. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level where user data protection mechanisms are expected to be robust and reliable.
The technical implementation of this race condition likely involves improper synchronization between different system components when processing user data requests. When an application attempts to access protected resources, the system should validate the request through multiple verification steps before granting access. However, the race condition allows for a scenario where an application might gain access before all validation checks complete or after validation has been bypassed due to timing issues. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the CWE-362 category for race conditions, where concurrent access to shared resources creates security flaws. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of temporal dependency issues in system design where the order of operations matters significantly for security outcomes. Attackers could potentially exploit this condition to read sensitive user information, personal documents, or other protected system resources that should remain isolated from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a fundamental weakness in the operating system's access control mechanisms. When an application can bypass normal security restrictions through timing-based exploitation, it undermines the entire security model that users and organizations rely upon. The affected versions including macOS Monterey 12.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, and macOS Ventura 13.6.5 indicate that this flaw was present across multiple operating system releases, suggesting it was a systemic issue rather than isolated to a single version. Organizations using these vulnerable systems face increased risk of data breaches, privacy violations, and potential compliance violations with data protection regulations. The vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious applications installed on a system or potentially exploited through social engineering attacks that trick users into installing compromised software. From an attack perspective, this aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1059 for executing malicious code and T1070 for bypassing security controls.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the security updates provided by apple for the affected macOS versions. System administrators should prioritize patch management to ensure all vulnerable systems receive the necessary security fixes that address the additional validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior that might indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability, particularly around access patterns to protected user data. Additional protective measures include maintaining up-to-date antivirus solutions, implementing application whitelisting policies, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potentially compromised systems. The fix implemented by apple likely includes enhanced synchronization mechanisms and additional validation checks that prevent the race condition from occurring during critical system operations. Users should also be educated about the importance of keeping their systems updated and the potential risks associated with installing untrusted applications that might exploit such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper concurrency control in security-sensitive systems and the need for comprehensive testing of temporal aspects of system behavior.