CVE-2024-27795 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2024
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15. A camera extension may be able to access the internet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2024-27795 represents a significant permissions flaw in macOS Sequoia 15 that allows camera extensions to potentially access the internet without proper authorization. This issue falls under the category of improper access control as defined by CWE-284, where a component with elevated privileges or specialized functionality is granted access that exceeds its intended scope. The problem specifically affects camera extensions that are designed to work with macOS camera hardware but are inadvertently granted network connectivity capabilities beyond their normal operational requirements.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sandboxing controls within the macOS extension framework. Camera extensions, which are typically restricted to accessing only camera hardware and related system resources, are being permitted to establish network connections through the system's network stack. This represents a privilege escalation scenario where an extension with limited functionality gains access to network resources that should be restricted to system-level applications or processes with explicit network permissions. The flaw likely exists in how the system validates extension capabilities during the permission granting process, allowing network access to be implicitly or explicitly granted alongside camera access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a serious security risk for users who rely on macOS for privacy-sensitive activities. Camera extensions that may be installed by third-party developers or system administrators could potentially exfiltrate data through network connections without user awareness or consent. The impact extends beyond simple data leakage to include potential surveillance capabilities where malicious actors could develop extensions that capture camera data and transmit it over the network. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where camera extensions might be deployed for legitimate business purposes but could be exploited for unauthorized data collection.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability involves updating to macOS Sequoia 15, which implements additional restrictions that properly isolate camera extensions from network access. Organizations should conduct thorough inventory reviews of installed camera extensions to identify potentially problematic third-party components that may have been granted inappropriate permissions. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized network activity from camera-related processes and establish policies that restrict camera extension installations to only trusted sources. The fix addresses the underlying issue by implementing stricter sandboxing controls and ensuring that camera extensions operate within defined boundaries that prevent them from accessing network resources without explicit user permission or system-level authorization.
This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, as it represents an improper access control that could be exploited by malicious actors to gain network access through legitimate system components. The fix implemented in macOS Sequoia 15 demonstrates the importance of maintaining strict separation of privileges between different system components and the necessity of regular security updates to address emerging access control vulnerabilities. Security professionals should monitor for similar issues in other operating system components and ensure that all extensions and plugins are properly sandboxed to prevent unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper access control implementation in modern operating systems where multiple components may need to interact with hardware and network resources while maintaining security boundaries.