CVE-2024-40855 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2024
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1, visionOS 2. A sandboxed app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
This vulnerability represents a sandbox escape condition that allows sandboxed applications to potentially access sensitive user data on Apple operating systems. The flaw exists within the macOS and visionOS security frameworks where proper access controls fail to prevent unauthorized data exposure. The issue was specifically addressed through enhanced validation mechanisms that strengthen the boundaries between sandboxed applications and user data repositories. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Apple's operating systems including macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1, and visionOS 2, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The security implications are significant as sandboxing is a fundamental security mechanism designed to isolate applications from each other and from user data, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control within Apple's security architecture, which can be categorized as a CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) vulnerability. The flaw likely stems from insufficient validation of inter-process communication or improper handling of file system access permissions within the sandbox environment. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to bypass sandbox restrictions and gain access to user data that should remain protected. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege where sandboxed applications should only have access to resources explicitly granted by the system. This type of vulnerability represents a critical failure in Apple's application sandboxing model, which is designed to prevent malicious or compromised applications from accessing sensitive user information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including information theft, privacy violations, and potential escalation to other system components. Users running affected versions of macOS or visionOS face risks of unauthorized data access, particularly if they have sandboxed applications installed that could exploit this weakness. The vulnerability affects all users who rely on sandboxed applications for productivity or entertainment purposes, as these applications may inadvertently expose user data to unauthorized access. Security researchers have noted that such sandbox escapes are particularly dangerous because they undermine the fundamental security model of operating systems, allowing attackers to move laterally within the system and potentially access more sensitive information than initially exposed.
The mitigation strategy involves updating to the patched versions of macOS and visionOS as specified in the advisory. Apple has addressed this vulnerability through improved checks that strengthen the validation mechanisms within the sandboxing framework. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected systems to ensure proper protection. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious file access patterns or unusual application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix likely involves enhanced kernel-level validation of application access requests and stricter enforcement of sandbox policies. Security teams should monitor for any reports of exploitation attempts and ensure that all endpoints are properly patched. This vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and highlights the critical nature of sandboxing mechanisms in modern operating systems. The remediation process should include verification that the updates have been properly installed and that no applications remain vulnerable to this specific sandbox escape condition.