CVE-2024-40805 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2024
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, tvOS 17.6, watchOS 10.6. An app may be able to bypass Privacy preferences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2026
This vulnerability represents a significant permissions flaw that allows applications to potentially circumvent the privacy controls implemented by Apple's operating systems. The issue stems from insufficient restrictions in the privacy preference enforcement mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious applications to access user data without proper authorization. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, indicating a systemic weakness in the privacy framework that spans the entire Apple ecosystem. Security researchers identified that the flaw enables apps to bypass the intended privacy controls that should prevent unauthorized access to sensitive user information and system resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation and access control bypass, where applications can exploit weaknesses in the permission system to gain unauthorized access to protected resources. This type of flaw typically involves inadequate validation of application privileges or insufficient enforcement of privacy settings that should normally restrict access to user data. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a critical weakness in the authorization mechanisms that protect user privacy. Attackers could potentially leverage this issue to access sensitive information, track user activities, or perform unauthorized operations that should be restricted by the operating system's privacy controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it undermines the fundamental privacy protections that users expect from Apple's operating systems. Applications that successfully exploit this flaw could access personal data, location information, device capabilities, and other sensitive resources without user consent or awareness. This creates a significant risk for user privacy and data security, particularly in environments where multiple applications may attempt to bypass privacy restrictions. The vulnerability affects all supported Apple platforms, making it a widespread concern that impacts millions of users across different device categories and usage scenarios.
Apple has addressed this vulnerability through updates to iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, tvOS 17.6, and watchOS 10.6, implementing additional restrictions to prevent the bypass of privacy preferences. The fix likely involves strengthening the enforcement mechanisms that control application access to sensitive resources and improving the validation of privacy settings. Organizations and users should prioritize applying these updates immediately to protect against potential exploitation of this vulnerability. System administrators should ensure all managed devices receive the security updates, while individual users should verify their systems have been updated to the latest versions. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1546.011 which involves modifying system permissions and access controls to maintain persistent access to systems. This vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing importance of robust privacy controls and the need for continuous security improvements in operating system architectures to prevent unauthorized access to user data and system resources.