CVE-2024-27796 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 05/14/2024
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 16.7.8 and iPadOS 16.7.8, iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, macOS Monterey 12.7.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5, macOS Ventura 13.6.7. An attacker may be able to elevate privileges.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-27796 represents a privilege escalation weakness that affects multiple Apple operating systems including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS versions. This issue was resolved through enhanced validation mechanisms that address a previously exploitable condition allowing unauthorized users to gain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability impacts a broad range of Apple devices and operating system versions, making it a significant concern for enterprise and individual users alike.
The technical flaw underlying CVE-2024-27796 stems from inadequate input validation or access control mechanisms within Apple's operating system frameworks. This weakness creates an opportunity for malicious actors to bypass normal security restrictions and execute code with higher privileges than initially granted. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-264, which encompasses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and potentially relates to CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write conditions that could enable privilege escalation attacks. The flaw likely exists within kernel-level components or system services that handle privilege management and user authentication processes.
From an operational perspective, this privilege escalation vulnerability poses substantial risk to affected systems as it enables attackers to gain administrative access to devices without proper authentication. The attack surface extends across all supported Apple platforms, including mobile devices and desktop operating systems, making it particularly dangerous for organizations with diverse device ecosystems. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to install malicious software, access sensitive data, modify system configurations, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects multiple operating system versions simultaneously, requiring comprehensive patch management across device inventories.
The remediation for CVE-2024-27796 was implemented through Apple's regular security updates, with affected versions receiving patches in iOS 16.7.8 and iPadOS 16.7.8, iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, macOS Monterey 12.7.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5, and macOS Ventura 13.6.7. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these security updates across all affected devices to mitigate the risk. The fix addresses the underlying validation checks that were previously insufficient to prevent unauthorized privilege elevation, implementing stronger access controls and input validation mechanisms. Security teams should monitor for any potential exploitation attempts and ensure comprehensive device inventory management to confirm all systems have received the necessary patches. This vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing importance of maintaining up-to-date security configurations and implementing layered defensive strategies to protect against sophisticated privilege escalation attacks.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically relating to privilege escalation through kernel exploits or system service manipulation. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of broader security assessments and ensure their incident response procedures include detection and mitigation strategies for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability's resolution through improved checks aligns with defensive security practices that emphasize proactive threat hunting and system hardening measures.