CVE-2024-27818: Apple iPadOS RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-27818 Overview

CVE-2024-27818 is a memory handling vulnerability affecting Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Apple addressed the issue with improved memory handling in iOS 16.7.8, iPadOS 16.7.8, iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.5. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw may cause unexpected app termination or achieve arbitrary code execution on the affected device. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, and exploitation can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the targeted system. The flaw is tracked under [CWE-77] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command).

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution or application termination on Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices, putting user data and system integrity at risk.

Affected Products

• Apple iOS prior to 16.7.8 and prior to 17.5
• Apple iPadOS prior to 16.7.8 and prior to 17.5
• Apple macOS Sonoma prior to 14.5

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-14 - CVE-2024-27818 published to NVD
• 2026-04-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-27818

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling within affected Apple operating systems. Apple's advisory categorizes the issue as one resolved through improved memory management, indicating that the original code path allowed memory state corruption under specific conditions. The flaw maps to [CWE-77], suggesting command-related input processing is involved in the unsafe memory operation.

An attacker exploiting this issue can cause unexpected application termination, producing a denial of service against the affected process. More significantly, the issue can be leveraged to achieve arbitrary code execution within the context of the vulnerable application. This grants attackers a foothold to run unauthorized code on the device.

Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, meaning a target user must perform an action such as opening a crafted file or visiting attacker-controlled content. The scope remains unchanged, but confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all high.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient validation during memory operations in components processing untrusted input. Apple resolved the underlying defect with improved memory handling logic, hardening the boundary checks and allocation routines that previously permitted memory state corruption.

Attack Vector

An attacker delivers a malicious payload through content opened on the target device. When the user interacts with the crafted input, the vulnerable code path executes, corrupting memory and enabling code execution or process termination. See the Apple Support Advisory #120898 and Apple Support Advisory #120903 for vendor-published technical context.

No verified public exploitation code is available for CVE-2024-27818. The vulnerability mechanism is described in the Full Disclosure Mailing - May 10, 2024 and Full Disclosure Mailing - May 12, 2024 postings.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-27818

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected termination of applications on iOS, iPadOS, or macOS devices without a clear root cause
• Crash reports referencing memory access violations in user-mode application processes
• Presence of unsigned or unexpected child processes spawned from common consumer applications

Detection Strategies

• Monitor endpoint crash logs and ReportCrash artifacts on macOS for repeated faults tied to the same application
• Inspect MDM-collected device telemetry for hosts still running iOS, iPadOS, or macOS versions below the patched releases
• Correlate user-initiated file opens with subsequent process crashes or anomalous code execution

Monitoring Recommendations

• Track operating system versions across the managed fleet and flag devices below iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, iOS 16.7.8, iPadOS 16.7.8, or macOS Sonoma 14.5
• Enable detailed application crash reporting and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform
• Alert on post-crash anomalies including unexpected process trees, persistence creation, or outbound network connections

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-27818

Immediate Actions Required

• Update affected devices to iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, iOS 16.7.8, iPadOS 16.7.8, or macOS Sonoma 14.5 or later
• Use mobile device management to enforce minimum OS versions and block non-compliant devices from corporate resources
• Audit installed applications and remove untrusted software that processes external content

Patch Information

Apple released fixes in iOS 16.7.8 and iPadOS 16.7.8, iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.5. Patch details are published in Apple Security Document #HT214101, Apple Security Document #HT214106, and Apple Knowledge Base #HT214100.

Workarounds

• No vendor-supplied workaround exists. Apply the official Apple security updates as the primary remediation
• Restrict users from opening untrusted files or attachments on devices that cannot be immediately updated
• Apply principle of least privilege to local user accounts to limit the impact of successful exploitation

# Verify macOS build version against the patched release
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger software update check on macOS
sudo softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart