CVE-2024-54494 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2024
A race condition was addressed with additional validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, iPadOS 17.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.7.2, tvOS 18.2, visionOS 2.2, watchOS 11.2. An attacker may be able to create a read-only memory mapping that can be written to.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-54494 represents a critical race condition flaw that affects multiple Apple operating systems including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. This security issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms that allow for improper memory management during concurrent operations. The race condition occurs when multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared memory resources simultaneously without proper synchronization, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit temporal gaps in system validation. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to establish read-only memory mappings that can subsequently be written to, fundamentally undermining the memory protection mechanisms that are essential for system security. Such an exploit could potentially allow unauthorized modification of memory regions that should remain protected, creating a significant vector for privilege escalation attacks and data corruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes race conditions in software systems where multiple threads or processes access shared resources concurrently without proper synchronization. The flaw manifests in the kernel memory management subsystem where the operating system fails to adequately validate memory mapping operations during concurrent access scenarios. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the system level, potentially allowing attackers to bypass memory protection mechanisms that are fundamental to operating system security. The issue is classified as a memory corruption vulnerability that can be exploited through improper memory mapping operations, where the system's validation logic is insufficient to prevent creation of writable mappings for regions that should remain read-only. The race condition occurs during the time window between when a memory mapping is initially established and when proper validation checks are completed, allowing for manipulation of memory permissions.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-54494 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it creates opportunities for attackers to perform privilege escalation and potentially execute arbitrary code within the system. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can manipulate memory mappings to gain write access to regions that should remain protected, potentially allowing them to modify system binaries, inject malicious code, or manipulate kernel data structures. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be leveraged to bypass security features such as code signing enforcement, address space layout randomization, and other memory protection mechanisms that are designed to prevent unauthorized memory modifications. This vulnerability affects a broad range of Apple devices and operating system versions, making it a significant concern for enterprise environments and users who may not immediately update their systems to the patched versions. The exploitation of such a vulnerability could lead to complete system compromise, data theft, or persistent backdoor access that remains undetected by standard security monitoring tools.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-54494 focus primarily on applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the race condition through enhanced validation mechanisms and improved synchronization protocols. Apple has released updates for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, iPadOS 17.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.7.2, tvOS 18.2, visionOS 2.2, and watchOS 11.2, which implement additional validation checks to prevent the creation of unauthorized memory mappings. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these patches across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where the risk of exploitation is higher due to the increased attack surface. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence regarding similar vulnerabilities. The fix addresses the underlying race condition by introducing proper synchronization mechanisms and additional validation steps that ensure memory mapping operations occur atomically without leaving exploitable time windows. Security teams should also consider implementing additional defensive measures such as kernel memory protection monitoring and runtime integrity checking to detect potential exploitation attempts before they can cause significant damage.