CVE-2024-40801 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/17/2024
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Sonoma 14.7. An app may be able to access protected user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions flaw in apple's macos operating system that allows malicious applications to potentially access protected user data through insufficient access controls. The issue stems from inadequate restriction mechanisms that fail to properly enforce the principle of least privilege for application sandboxing. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of macos including sonoma 14.7 and earlier releases, with the fix being implemented in macos sequoia 15. The permissions issue creates a pathway for unauthorized data access that could compromise user privacy and system integrity. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with cwes 276 and 732 which address improper permissions and insufficient access control mechanisms. The flaw represents a significant gap in the operating system's security model that could enable data exfiltration or unauthorized system access. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive user information including personal documents, communications, and system credentials that should be protected by the operating system's security boundaries. The impact extends beyond simple data access as it could enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation or lateral movement within the compromised system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves insufficient validation of application permissions during data access requests or flawed enforcement of macos security frameworks such as the application sandbox or entitlements system. Applications may be able to bypass normal security checks that should prevent access to protected resources including user files, system logs, or network communications. This type of vulnerability often manifests through improper handling of inter-process communication or through flaws in the security policy enforcement mechanisms. The fix implemented in macos sequoia 15 addresses the underlying permission control mechanisms by adding additional restrictions to prevent unauthorized access to protected user data. Security researchers have identified this as a potential attack vector for persistent threats that could leverage the permission bypass to maintain long-term access to compromised systems. The vulnerability's classification under attack technique t1070.004 for indicator removal and t1566 for phishing demonstrates how such permission issues can be exploited to create more sophisticated attack chains.
Organizations should immediately implement patch management processes to deploy the macos sequoia 15 update across all affected systems. System administrators should conduct thorough security assessments to identify applications that may be exploiting this vulnerability or that could be leveraged by attackers. The remediation process should include verification of application permissions and sandboxing configurations to ensure that applications are properly constrained. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual data access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of keeping their systems updated and should be cautious about installing applications from untrusted sources. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor permission issues can create significant security risks. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting and enhanced monitoring of system access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. The fix addresses core security principles related to access control and privilege management, ensuring that applications cannot access protected resources without proper authorization. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper security architecture and the need for continuous security assessment and monitoring of operating system components.