CVE-2023-42832
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in macOS allows malicious applications to potentially gain root privileges. This affects macOS Big Sur, Monterey, and Ventura systems before specific security updates. The vulnerability could enable privilege escalation attacks on affected systems.
💻 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 →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 →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
Complete system compromise with root-level access, allowing installation of persistent malware, data exfiltration, and lateral movement across the network.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation where a malicious app gains elevated privileges to access protected system resources or user data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper application sandboxing and least privilege principles in place, though root access remains possible.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires race condition timing and local application execution. No public exploit code has been disclosed as of analysis.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.6.8, macOS Ventura 13.5
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213843
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install available security updates. 3. Restart the system when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Application Restriction
allRestrict installation and execution of untrusted applications using macOS security controls
sudo spctl --master-enable
sudo spctl --enable --label "Developer ID"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict application allowlisting to prevent execution of untrusted applications
- Enforce least privilege principles and limit user administrative access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is below the patched versions listed, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is 11.7.9 or higher for Big Sur, 12.6.8 or higher for Monterey, or 13.5 or higher for Ventura.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected privilege escalation events in system logs
- Unusual application behavior with elevated privileges
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from system processes
SIEM Query:
source="macos_system_logs" AND (event="privilege_escalation" OR process="sudo" OR user="root")