Type Confusion Vulnerability in macOS and iOS by Apple

CVE-2024-54507

What is CVE-2024-54507?

CVE-2024-54507 is a type confusion vulnerability found in Apple’s macOS and iOS operating systems. This security flaw could allow an attacker with user privileges to read sensitive kernel memory, potentially exposing critical information and compromising the integrity of the system. Given the widespread use of macOS and iOS devices in both personal and organizational environments, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, as unauthorized access to kernel memory can lead to further exploitation and data breaches.

Technical Details

The vulnerability arises from improper memory handling, which is characteristic of type confusion issues. Specifically, it impacts the way the operating system manages memory types, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory allocation in a way that can reveal sensitive system information. Apple has addressed this flaw in recent updates: macOS Sequoia 15.2, iOS 18.2, and iPadOS 18.2 have been released to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability.

Potential Impact of CVE-2024-54507

1. Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Data: The capability to read kernel memory could enable attackers to access confidential information, including credentials, personal data, and system configurations, which could be utilized for further attacks or data exfiltration.

2. Increased Risk of System Compromise: By leveraging this vulnerability, an attacker could potentially escalate privileges or execute malicious code within the system, leading to a full compromise of the device and potentially affecting the broader network it connects to.

3. Threat to Organizational Security: For organizations relying on Apple devices, the presence of this vulnerability increases the risk of targeted attacks that could exploit this weakness, potentially leading to significant downtime, financial loss, and damage to the organization’s reputation.

News Articles

Bad Sector Labs Blog

CVE-2024-55591CVE-2024-54507

Last Week in Security (LWiS) - 2025-01-27

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1 week ago

daily.dev

CVE-2024-54507

SUSCTL: CVE-2024-54507 | daily.dev

A significant vulnerability, CVE-2024-54507, was discovered in macOS 15.0 where the use of sysctl command could lead to a kernel crash due to an invalid load. The issue was traced to integer type confusion in the sysctl_udp_log_port handler, leading to a kernel memory leak. The bug was reported and ...

2 weeks ago

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