CVE-2024-54533 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
A permissions issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2025
This vulnerability represents a sandbox escape condition that undermines the fundamental security boundaries designed to protect user data on Apple macOS systems. The permissions issue stems from insufficient sandbox restrictions that allow malicious applications to bypass the operating system's security controls and access sensitive user information. The flaw exists within the core system architecture that governs application isolation and data protection mechanisms, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized data access that violates the principle of least privilege. The vulnerability affects systems running macOS Ventura 13.7.5 and macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, indicating that the security model was compromised in these specific versions where additional sandboxing measures were deemed inadequate. This issue aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper permissions and access control vulnerabilities that can lead to unauthorized access to system resources and user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the gap between the intended sandbox behavior and the actual enforcement of security boundaries. Applications that should be confined to their designated sandbox environment can potentially traverse these boundaries through flawed permission handling or insufficient validation of access requests. This allows malicious actors to craft applications that can access files, documents, and personal information that should remain protected within the user's secure environment. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the system's access control mechanisms where the sandbox restrictions are not properly enforced or are insufficiently restrictive. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor through which applications can access data outside their intended scope, potentially compromising user privacy and system integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access and represents a significant threat to user privacy and system security. Attackers could leverage this weakness to develop malicious applications that can silently access sensitive user information including personal documents, communications, and potentially system credentials. The implications are particularly severe given that this vulnerability affects the core operating system functionality where applications are expected to operate within strict security boundaries. Organizations relying on macOS systems for sensitive operations face increased risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to confidential information. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by both malicious applications and sophisticated attackers who might develop techniques to exploit the permission gap. This issue directly impacts the security posture of macOS environments and could enable advanced persistent threats to establish long-term access to user data.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate deployment of the patched versions of macOS Ventura 13.7.5 and macOS Sonoma 14.7.5 where Apple has implemented additional sandbox restrictions to address the permissions issue. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected systems to ensure that the enhanced sandboxing controls are properly enforced. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify any applications that might have been exploiting this vulnerability and implement additional monitoring for suspicious access patterns. The fix addresses the root cause by strengthening the sandbox enforcement mechanisms and implementing more robust access controls that prevent unauthorized data access. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and maintain visibility into application behavior that might indicate sandbox bypass attempts. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor permission issues can create significant security risks in operating system environments. The remediation process should include verification that the updated sandbox restrictions are properly configured and that applications are operating within their intended security boundaries as defined by the system's access control policies.