CVE-2024-44133: Apple macOS Privacy Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-44133 Overview

This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15. On MDM managed devices, an app may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences.

Critical Impact

Medium severity vulnerability allowing apps to bypass Privacy preferences on MDM managed devices in macOS Sequoia 15.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-09-17 - CVE CVE-2024-44133 published to NVD
• 2025-11-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-44133

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability allows an application to bypass privacy preferences set on MDM managed devices. It occurs due to the presence of vulnerable code that was later removed to address the issue.

Root Cause

The cause of the vulnerability was identified in the macOS privacy management code, which failed to enforce preference restrictions properly.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker with prior access to the device to exploit the bypass.

# Example exploitation code (sanitized)
def privacy_bypass():
    # Bypass logic for demonstration purposes
    print("Privacy preferences bypassed")

privacy_bypass()

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44133

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected permissions escalation
• Modifications to MDM configuration without user consent
• Logs indicating unauthorized access attempts

Detection Strategies

Monitoring application behaviors that attempt to modify privacy settings outside of usual processes can indicate exploitation attempts. Analyze logs for unauthorized configuration changes.

Monitoring Recommendations

Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions like SentinelOne to monitor changes in device configuration and detect anomalies in application behavior.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44133

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to devices without proper authorization
• Review and audit MDM policies
• Monitor device logs for suspicious activity

Patch Information

Apple has removed the vulnerable code fragment in macOS Sequoia 15. It's recommended to update to this version or later.

Workarounds

For environments unable to immediately apply the patch, restricting app permissions and regularly auditing device configurations can help mitigate the risks.

# Configuration example
sudo /usr/bin/profiles -X
# Review MDM management and update configurations