CVE-2024-54493 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
This issue was addressed through improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.2. Privacy indicators for microphone access may be attributed incorrectly.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2025
This vulnerability represents a privacy indicator mismanagement issue affecting macOS Sequoia 15.2 systems where microphone access privacy indicators may be incorrectly attributed to applications. The flaw stems from improper state management within the operating system's privacy framework, specifically in how the system tracks and displays microphone usage permissions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-295 which addresses improper certificate validation, though in this context it manifests as incorrect attribution of privacy indicators rather than certificate validation failures. This represents a significant concern for user privacy as it could lead to misleading information about which applications are accessing microphone resources.
The technical implementation flaw occurs in the operating system's privacy monitoring mechanisms where the state tracking for microphone access permissions becomes inconsistent or corrupted. When applications request microphone access, the system should accurately maintain and display the current permission state through visual indicators. However, due to the flawed state management, these indicators may show incorrect information about which applications have access or are currently accessing the microphone. This misattribution could occur through various mechanisms including race conditions in state updates, improper synchronization between different system components, or faulty logic in the privacy indicator update routines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple user confusion to potentially compromise user privacy expectations and trust in the system's security mechanisms. Users may incorrectly believe that certain applications have microphone access when they do not, or conversely may be unaware that applications are accessing their microphone when privacy indicators suggest otherwise. This discrepancy could lead to users making incorrect security decisions based on faulty information, potentially resulting in unauthorized microphone access going unnoticed. The vulnerability affects the core privacy protection mechanisms of the operating system and could be exploited by malicious actors who understand the timing or conditions under which the indicator misattribution occurs.
The fix implemented in macOS Sequoia 15.2 addresses this issue through enhanced state management protocols that ensure proper tracking and updating of microphone access permissions. This remediation likely includes improvements to the synchronization mechanisms between application permission requests and privacy indicator updates, along with better handling of edge cases in state transitions. The solution follows established security practices for privacy indicator systems and aligns with the broader ATT&CK framework's privacy and security indicators category. Organizations should ensure all systems are updated to macOS Sequoia 15.2 to mitigate this vulnerability, as the incorrect attribution of privacy indicators creates a potential attack surface where users might be misled about system security status. The fix demonstrates the importance of robust state management in security-critical systems and highlights the need for continuous monitoring and updating of privacy protection mechanisms.