CVE-2023-38586
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a macOS sandbox escape vulnerability that allows a sandboxed process to bypass security restrictions. It affects macOS systems before Sonoma 14, potentially enabling malicious applications to access resources they shouldn't. This is a critical vulnerability with maximum CVSS score due to its potential impact.
💻 Affected Systems
- macOS
📦 What is this software?
Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
A malicious application could escape macOS sandbox entirely, gaining unauthorized access to sensitive files, system resources, or user data, potentially leading to full system compromise.
Likely Case
Malicious applications could bypass intended security boundaries to access restricted files or perform unauthorized actions within the system.
If Mitigated
With proper application vetting and security controls, the risk is reduced but not eliminated as the vulnerability exists at the OS level.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires a malicious sandboxed application to be executed on the target system.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Sonoma 14
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213940
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings 2. Click General 3. Click Software Update 4. Install macOS Sonoma 14 or later 5. Restart when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict application installation
allOnly allow installation of applications from trusted sources and verified developers
Application sandboxing review
allReview and restrict sandboxed applications to minimal necessary permissions
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict application control policies to prevent untrusted applications from running
- Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for sandbox escape attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is earlier than 14.0, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is 14.0 or later in System Settings > General > About.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process behavior from sandboxed applications
- Access violations in system logs
- Unexpected file access by sandboxed processes
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network connections from sandboxed applications
SIEM Query:
process where parent_process_name contains "sandbox" and action = "access" and result = "denied"