CVE-2024-44144 in watchOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2024
A buffer overflow was addressed with improved size validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.7.1 and iPadOS 17.7.1, iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, tvOS 18, visionOS 2, watchOS 11. Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition that could be exploited through malicious file processing, affecting multiple Apple operating systems including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. The flaw manifests when applications process specially crafted files that exceed expected buffer boundaries, leading to memory corruption that can cause arbitrary code execution or application crashes. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient size validation allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls within the ATT&CK framework under T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1555.001 for credentials from password storage components, as successful exploitation could provide access to sensitive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper input validation during file parsing operations where buffer boundaries are not adequately checked before data is copied or moved into memory locations. When a malicious file is processed, the application fails to validate the size of incoming data against allocated buffer space, allowing attackers to inject data that overflows the designated memory area. This overflow can corrupt adjacent memory regions including stack canaries, return addresses, or other critical program state information, potentially enabling privilege escalation or remote code execution. The fix implemented by Apple involves enhanced size validation mechanisms that properly check input boundaries before memory operations occur, preventing the overflow condition from being triggered.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across Apple's entire ecosystem of devices and operating systems, creating a significant security risk for users who may encounter malicious files through email attachments, file downloads, or other common attack vectors. The vulnerability's potential for causing unexpected application termination represents a denial-of-service risk, while the buffer overflow characteristics suggest it could also enable more sophisticated attacks if properly exploited. Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in environments where users frequently process files from untrusted sources, such as enterprise networks, educational institutions, or public computing environments where social engineering attacks might deliver malicious payloads. The affected platforms span from mobile devices to desktop operating systems, creating a wide attack surface that requires coordinated patching across multiple software versions.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate deployment of the patched operating system versions, as recommended by Apple's security advisories and the National Vulnerability Database. Organizations should implement network-based protections including email filtering systems that can identify and quarantine potentially malicious files before they reach end users. Security teams should also conduct vulnerability assessments to identify systems running vulnerable versions of Apple operating systems and prioritize patching activities based on risk exposure. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of avoiding suspicious file attachments and verifying the source of any files before processing them on their devices. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper bounds checking and size validation routines that prevent the buffer overflow condition from occurring during file processing operations, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and memory management as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and CERT/CC guidelines for buffer overflow prevention.