CVE-2024-44220
📋 TL;DR
A memory handling vulnerability in macOS video file parsing allows attackers to cause system crashes by tricking users into opening malicious video files. This affects macOS Sequoia before 15.2 and macOS Sonoma before 14.7.2. Users who open untrusted video files are at risk.
💻 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
Complete system crash/denial of service requiring reboot, potentially leading to data loss or service disruption.
Likely Case
Application or system crash when parsing malicious video files, causing temporary disruption.
If Mitigated
No impact if systems are patched or users avoid untrusted video files.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to open malicious file. No public exploit code identified in references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/121839
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings 2. Click General 3. Click Software Update 4. Install available updates 5. Restart when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid untrusted video files
allDo not open video files from untrusted sources
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application whitelisting to block unknown video players
- Educate users about risks of opening untrusted video files
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is Sequoia before 15.2 or Sonoma before 14.7.2, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is Sequoia 15.2 or Sonoma 14.7.2 or later in System Settings > General > About.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- System crash logs related to video parsing
- Application crashes when opening video files
Network Indicators:
- Unusual video file downloads from untrusted sources
SIEM Query:
source="macos_system_logs" AND (event="crash" OR event="panic") AND process="*video*"