CVE-2024-54517
Published: 27 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-54517 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Apple Ipados. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 18.3th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
SI-16 enforces memory protection mechanisms such as bounds checking and isolation to directly prevent out-of-bounds writes that corrupt coprocessor memory as exploited in this CVE.
SI-10 requires validation of inputs including bounds checks on data used in memory operations, comprehensively addressing the insufficient bounds checks root cause of this memory corruption vulnerability.
SI-2 mandates timely flaw remediation through patching, directly mitigating this vulnerability fixed by Apple's improved bounds checks in updated OS versions.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Local memory corruption (out-of-bounds write) in Apple OS components directly enables exploitation for privilege escalation via arbitrary code execution from a low-privileged app context.
NVD Description
The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, tvOS 18.2, watchOS 11.2. An app may be able to corrupt coprocessor memory.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2024-54517 is a memory corruption vulnerability stemming from insufficient bounds checks, classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write). It affects Apple's operating systems, specifically versions of iOS and iPadOS prior to 18.2, macOS Sequoia prior to 15.2, tvOS prior to 18.2, and watchOS prior to 11.2. The flaw enables an app to corrupt coprocessor memory, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability within the affected components.
The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), with a local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges required (PR:L), requiring no user interaction (UI:N) and maintaining unchanged scope (S:U). A local attacker, such as one running a malicious app with standard user-level permissions, can exploit it to achieve high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H), including potential data leakage, modification, or denial of service through coprocessor memory corruption.
Apple's security advisories detail that the issue was resolved through improved bounds checks, with patches available in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, tvOS 18.2, and watchOS 11.2. Security practitioners should prioritize updating affected devices to these versions, as outlined in the vendor's release notes at https://support.apple.com/en-us/121837, https://support.apple.com/en-us/121839, https://support.apple.com/en-us/121843, and https://support.apple.com/en-us/121844.
Details
- CWE(s)