CVE-2024-44160
📋 TL;DR
A buffer overflow vulnerability in macOS texture processing allows maliciously crafted textures to cause unexpected application termination. This affects users running macOS versions prior to Ventura 13.7, Sonoma 14.7, or Sequoia 15. The vulnerability could be exploited through applications that process textures.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Potential arbitrary code execution leading to full system compromise if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Application crashes (denial of service) when processing malicious textures.
If Mitigated
Limited to application termination with no further impact if proper sandboxing is in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open malicious texture files; no public exploit code identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Ventura 13.7, macOS Sonoma 14.7, macOS Sequoia 15
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/121234
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings
2. Go to General > Software Update
3. Install available updates
4. Restart when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid unknown texture files
allDo not open texture files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user permissions to limit application installation
- Implement application sandboxing where possible
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > AboutCheck Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is Ventura 13.7, Sonoma 14.7, or Sequoia 15 or newer📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Application crash logs related to texture processing
- Unexpected termination of graphics applications
SIEM Query:
source="application.logs" AND (event="crash" OR event="termination") AND process="*texture*"