CVE-2024-44153: Apple macOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-44153 Overview

CVE-2024-44153 is a permissions logic vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows a malicious application to access user-sensitive data. The flaw stems from improper permissions handling within the operating system, potentially enabling unauthorized access to protected user information. Apple has addressed this vulnerability through improved permissions logic in macOS Sonoma 14.7 and macOS Sequoia 15.

Critical Impact

A malicious application running on an affected macOS system may be able to bypass permission controls and access sensitive user data without proper authorization.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS versions prior to Sonoma 14.7
• Apple macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-09-17 - CVE-2024-44153 published to NVD
• 2025-11-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-44153

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an improper permissions configuration issue in Apple macOS. The flaw exists within the permissions logic subsystem, which is responsible for enforcing access controls between applications and user data. When exploited, a locally running application can circumvent the intended permission boundaries to read sensitive user information that should be protected by the operating system's security model.

The attack requires local access and low privileges to execute, meaning an attacker would need to either have direct access to the system or convince a user to run a malicious application. Once executed, the malicious app can access confidential data with high impact to confidentiality, though no integrity or availability impact has been identified.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-44153 lies in flawed permissions logic within macOS. The operating system failed to properly validate and enforce permission boundaries for certain data access operations, allowing applications to read user-sensitive data they should not have access to. Apple's fix addresses this by implementing improved permissions logic that correctly restricts application access to protected data resources.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, requiring an attacker to execute a malicious application on the target macOS system. The exploitation scenario typically involves:

1. An attacker creates a malicious application designed to exploit the permissions logic flaw
2. The user installs or runs the malicious application (potentially disguised as legitimate software)
3. The application leverages the improper permissions handling to access user-sensitive data
4. Sensitive information is exfiltrated or misused by the attacker

The vulnerability requires low privileges and no user interaction beyond initially running the malicious application, making it relatively straightforward to exploit once the attacker has achieved initial access or social engineering success.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44153

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual application behavior attempting to access protected user directories or files
• Applications requesting or accessing data outside their expected sandbox boundaries
• Unexpected file access patterns in system logs for sensitive user data locations
• Presence of unknown or recently installed applications with suspicious permission requests

Detection Strategies

• Monitor system logs for applications accessing protected user data directories without proper entitlements
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify applications exhibiting unusual data access patterns
• Review installed applications for unsigned or untrusted software that may exploit this vulnerability
• Utilize SentinelOne's behavioral AI to detect anomalous application behavior indicative of data access exploitation

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for file system access events on macOS endpoints
• Deploy endpoint protection solutions capable of monitoring application permission usage
• Regularly audit installed applications against approved software lists
• Monitor for applications accessing sensitive directories such as ~/Library, ~/Documents, and other protected user data locations

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44153

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all affected macOS systems to macOS Sonoma 14.7 or later
• Update to macOS Sequoia 15 for systems on that release branch
• Review recently installed applications for potential malicious software
• Conduct security scans to identify any applications that may have exploited this vulnerability

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Affected users should update to the following versions:

• macOS Sonoma 14.7 or later - See Apple Support Document #121247 for details
• macOS Sequoia 15 or later - See Apple Support Document #121238 for details

The patches implement improved permissions logic to properly enforce access controls and prevent unauthorized data access by applications.

Workarounds

• Restrict application installations to only trusted and signed applications from the Mac App Store or identified developers
• Enable Gatekeeper and ensure it is configured to only allow apps from the App Store and identified developers
• Implement application allowlisting policies to prevent execution of unauthorized software
• Review and audit application permissions regularly using System Settings > Privacy & Security

# Verify macOS version to confirm patch status
sw_vers

# Check Gatekeeper status
spctl --status

# List applications with Full Disk Access permissions
sqlite3 /Library/Application\ Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db "SELECT client FROM access WHERE service='kTCCServiceSystemPolicyAllFiles';"