CVE-2024-44256 Overview
CVE-2024-44256 is a sandbox escape vulnerability affecting multiple versions of Apple macOS. The flaw stems from improper input sanitization and allows a malicious application to break out of its assigned sandbox. Apple addressed the issue in macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, and macOS Ventura 13.7.1. Successful exploitation requires local access and user interaction, but yields high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability with a scope change to resources outside the sandboxed process.
Critical Impact
A malicious application on macOS can escape the sandbox, gaining access to resources and data outside its intended security boundary.
Affected Products
- Apple macOS Ventura (versions prior to 13.7.1)
- Apple macOS Sonoma (versions prior to 14.7.1)
- Apple macOS Sequoia (versions prior to 15.1)
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-28 - CVE-2024-44256 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2024-10-28 - Apple published advisories 121564, 121568, and 121570
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-44256
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2024-44256 is an input sanitization flaw ([CWE-noinfo]) in macOS that permits a sandboxed application to escape its containment. The macOS App Sandbox is designed to restrict a process to a defined set of file system paths, entitlements, and IPC channels. When input passed to a sandbox-adjacent component is not properly validated, a crafted app can manipulate that input to access resources outside its container. Apple's advisories describe the fix as improved input sanitization, indicating the root cause was insufficient validation of attacker-controlled data crossing a trust boundary.
Root Cause
The vulnerability arises from missing input sanitization in a macOS component reachable from an application running inside the sandbox. Untrusted input from the sandboxed process is consumed by higher-privileged logic without adequate validation, enabling the sandbox policy to be bypassed. Apple has not published the specific component or code path affected. The vendor's remediation replaces the vulnerable parsing behavior with stricter input handling.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires the attacker to run code locally on the target macOS host, typically inside a sandboxed application context, and depends on user interaction such as launching or installing the malicious app. Once running, the app supplies crafted input to the vulnerable interface to break out of its sandbox. The scope change reflected in the CVSS vector reflects that the compromised component grants access to resources beyond the sandboxed process's original authority. Detailed technical write-ups are referenced in the Full Disclosure mailing list posts from October 2024.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. Apple's advisories do not disclose the specific input format or affected system service. See the Apple security advisory for vendor-provided details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44256
Indicators of Compromise
- Unsigned or ad-hoc signed applications launching from user-writable locations such as ~/Downloads or /tmp and then spawning child processes outside typical sandbox boundaries.
- Sandboxed processes writing to or reading from file system paths outside their container (~/Library/Containers/<bundle-id>/).
- Unexpected XPC or Mach IPC traffic between third-party sandboxed apps and system services.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor macOS Endpoint Security events (ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_EXEC, ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_OPEN) for sandboxed applications accessing resources outside their allowed container paths.
- Correlate process ancestry to identify child processes spawned by sandboxed apps that inherit elevated file system reach.
- Track macOS system version telemetry to identify hosts still running versions earlier than 13.7.1, 14.7.1, or 15.1.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Collect and centralize macOS Unified Log events related to sandboxd, taskgated, and XPC service errors.
- Alert on newly installed applications with entitlements requesting broad file system or automation access.
- Baseline normal sandbox behavior per business-critical application, then flag deviations for review.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44256
Immediate Actions Required
- Update affected endpoints to macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, or macOS Ventura 13.7.1 or later.
- Inventory macOS assets and identify hosts still running vulnerable builds using MDM reporting.
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications through Gatekeeper policies and enforce notarization requirements.
- Review third-party applications with elevated entitlements and remove any that are not business critical.
Patch Information
Apple released fixes in macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, and macOS Ventura 13.7.1. Patch details are available in Apple Support article 121564, article 121568, and article 121570. Deploy updates through Apple Software Update or an MDM solution such as Jamf, Kandji, or Intune.
Workarounds
- No official workaround is published by Apple; applying the vendor patch is the only supported remediation.
- Limit local user privileges and enforce standard (non-admin) accounts to reduce the impact of a successful sandbox escape.
- Use application allow-listing to prevent execution of untrusted or unsigned applications until patching is complete.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
