CVE-2024-44151 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, macOS Ventura 13.7. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions flaw in apple's macOS operating system that allows malicious applications to bypass intended security controls and modify protected file system components. The issue stems from insufficient access control mechanisms that fail to properly restrict application privileges when interacting with system-protected directories and files. According to the security advisory, the vulnerability affects multiple versions of macOS including sequoia 15, sonoma 14.7, and ventura 13.7, indicating this represents a widespread concern across the apple ecosystem. The flaw specifically enables an application to modify protected parts of the file system, which directly violates fundamental security principles of operating system isolation and privilege separation. This type of vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumeration category 269 which addresses improper privileges assigned to a resource, and represents a significant escalation from standard application sandboxing restrictions. The potential for abuse extends beyond simple file modification to include system integrity compromise and privilege escalation scenarios.
The technical nature of this permissions issue suggests that applications may be able to access and alter system directories or files that should normally be restricted to system processes or administrators only. This could potentially allow for the modification of critical system files, libraries, or configuration settings that maintain operating system stability and security. The vulnerability essentially creates a pathway for unauthorized modification of protected system components, which could lead to system instability, data corruption, or even complete system compromise. The fix implemented in the updated macOS versions addresses this by adding additional restrictions to the permission model, likely through enhanced kernel-level access controls or refined sandboxing mechanisms. This remediation approach aligns with the principle of least privilege and represents a defensive programming solution that limits the scope of what applications can modify within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond individual user devices to encompass enterprise security environments where macOS systems are deployed. Organizations relying on macOS for business operations face potential risks including system integrity compromise, unauthorized data modification, or the potential for attackers to establish persistent access through system file manipulation. The vulnerability could be exploited in various attack scenarios including social engineering campaigns where users unknowingly install malicious applications that leverage this permission flaw. From an attack chain perspective, this vulnerability could be classified under the attack technique of privilege escalation in the mitre att&ck framework, specifically targeting the system modification and persistence capabilities. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat modeling exercises, particularly when evaluating the security posture of macOS-based environments and the potential for lateral movement or persistence within networks.
Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates for macOS Sequoia 15, macOS Sonoma 14.7, and macOS Ventura 13.7 to address this permissions issue. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive testing of applications to ensure compatibility with the updated permission model while maintaining security controls. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized file system modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures may include enhanced application whitelisting policies, regular security assessments of macOS environments, and user education about the risks of installing untrusted applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the ongoing importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the critical nature of proper access control implementation in operating system design, particularly in enterprise environments where the attack surface is significantly expanded. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as file integrity monitoring and endpoint detection and response solutions to provide layered protection against potential exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.