CVE-2024-54491 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
The issue was resolved by sanitizing logging. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.2. A malicious application may be able to determine a user's current location.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-54491 represents a significant privacy risk within macOS Sequoia 15.2 systems where improper logging sanitization could potentially expose user location data. This flaw emerged from inadequate input validation and output filtering mechanisms within the operating system's logging infrastructure, creating a pathway for malicious applications to exploit system logging functions to infer sensitive location information. The vulnerability specifically affects the way location data is handled during logging operations, where sensitive geolocation information was not properly sanitized before being written to system logs.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient sanitization of location data within system logging processes. When applications request location services or when the system itself records location-based information, the logging mechanism fails to properly filter or mask sensitive geolocation data before storing it in log files. This creates a scenario where malicious applications with appropriate privileges or access rights can parse system logs and extract location information that should remain protected. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation and CWE-215 Information Exposure Through Logging, as it demonstrates both inadequate validation of location data and improper handling of sensitive information in log outputs.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privacy concerns to potentially enable location-based attacks and surveillance capabilities. Malicious applications could leverage this flaw to build detailed profiles of user movements and activities, compromising personal privacy and potentially enabling targeted attacks. The vulnerability affects all macOS Sequoia 15.2 systems where the logging sanitization patch has not been properly applied, creating a window of opportunity for threat actors to exploit this weakness. This issue particularly impacts users who frequently use location-based services, mobile applications, or systems where location tracking is enabled, as these scenarios generate more logging data that could contain sensitive location information.
Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566 Phishing, as malicious actors could use the location data to craft more convincing social engineering attacks or to identify high-value targets for location-based threats. The remediation approach required for this vulnerability involves implementing proper logging sanitization procedures that ensure location data is either stripped from logs or properly obfuscated before storage. Organizations should verify that all macOS Sequoia 15.2 systems have received the appropriate security updates and that logging configurations properly implement data sanitization controls. The fix addresses the core issue by ensuring that location-based information is not inadvertently exposed through system logging mechanisms, thereby protecting user privacy and maintaining the integrity of location services within the operating system.