CVE-2024-54538
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a denial-of-service vulnerability in multiple Apple operating systems where improper input validation allows a remote attacker to crash or degrade system performance. Affected systems include visionOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, and watchOS. The vulnerability is fixed in the listed security updates.
💻 Affected Systems
- visionOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
- tvOS
- macOS
- watchOS
📦 What is this software?
Ipados by Apple
Ipados by Apple
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 →Tvos by Apple
Watchos by Apple
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash or unavailability of affected Apple devices, potentially disrupting business operations or personal use.
Likely Case
Temporary service degradation or application crashes on vulnerable devices, requiring restart.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper patching; unpatched systems remain vulnerable to DoS attacks.
🎯 Exploit Status
Apple states 'a remote attacker may be able to cause a denial-of-service,' suggesting unauthenticated remote exploitation is possible. No public exploit details are available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: visionOS 2.1, iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, iOS 17.7.1 and iPadOS 17.7.1, tvOS 18.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, watchOS 11.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/121563
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update on iOS/iPadOS/watchOS/tvOS/visionOS. 2. Install the available update. 3. For macOS: Go to System Settings > General > Software Update. 4. Install the security update. 5. Restart the device after installation.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Segment affected devices on isolated network segments to limit attack surface.
- Implement network filtering to block suspicious traffic to vulnerable services if identified.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the operating system version against the affected versions listed above. On Apple devices: iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About > Version; macOS: Apple menu > About This Mac > macOS version.Check Version:
iOS/iPadOS/tvOS/watchOS/visionOS: No command line; use Settings > General > About. macOS: 'sw_vers' command in terminal.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify the installed version matches or exceeds the patched versions listed in the fix information.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected system crashes or reboots
- High CPU/memory usage spikes
- Application termination logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic patterns to Apple devices
- Connection attempts to services on affected ports
SIEM Query:
Example: 'event.category:network AND destination.ip:(internal_apple_devices) AND event.outcome:failure'