Skip to content

Research Update Enhanced src/macos-hardening/macos-security-... #1606

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Open
wants to merge 1 commit into
base: master
Choose a base branch
from
Open

Research Update Enhanced src/macos-hardening/macos-security-... #1606

Changes from all commits
Commits
Show all changes
1 commit
Select commit
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
17 changes: 17 additions & 0 deletions ...buse/macos-ipc-inter-process-communication/macos-xpc/macos-xpc-authorization.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -286,6 +286,21 @@ Rights with 'session-owner': 'true':
authenticate-session-owner, authenticate-session-owner-or-admin, authenticate-session-user, com-apple-safari-allow-apple-events-to-run-javascript, com-apple-safari-allow-javascript-in-smart-search-field, com-apple-safari-allow-unsigned-app-extensions, com-apple-safari-install-ephemeral-extensions, com-apple-safari-show-credit-card-numbers, com-apple-safari-show-passwords, com-apple-icloud-passwordreset, com-apple-icloud-passwordreset, is-session-owner, system-identity-write-self, use-login-window-ui
```

### Authorization Bypass Case Studies

- **CVE-2024-4395 – Jamf Compliance Editor helper**: Running an audit drops `/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.jamf.complianceeditor.helper.plist`, exposes the Mach service `com.jamf.complianceeditor.helper`, and exports `-executeScriptAt:arguments:then:` without verifying the caller’s `AuthorizationExternalForm` or code signature. A trivial exploit `AuthorizationCreate`s an empty reference, connects with `[[NSXPCConnection alloc] initWithMachServiceName:options:NSXPCConnectionPrivileged]`, and invokes the method to execute arbitrary binaries as root. Full reversing notes (plus PoC) in [Mykola Grymalyuk’s write-up](https://khronokernel.com/macos/2024/05/01/CVE-2024-4395.html).
- **CVE-2025-25251 – FortiClient Mac helper**: FortiClient Mac 7.0.0–7.0.14, 7.2.0–7.2.8 and 7.4.0–7.4.2 accepted crafted XPC messages that reached a privileged helper lacking authorization gates. Because the helper trusted its own privileged `AuthorizationRef`, any local user able to message the service could coerce it into executing arbitrary configuration changes or commands as root. Details in [SentinelOne’s advisory summary](https://www.sentinelone.com/vulnerability-database/cve-2025-25251/).

#### Rapid triage tips

- When an app ships both a GUI and helper, diff their code requirements and check whether `shouldAcceptNewConnection` locks the listener with `-setCodeSigningRequirement:` (or validates `SecCodeCopySigningInformation`). Missing checks usually yield CWE-863 scenarios like the Jamf case. A quick peek looks like:

```bash
codesign --display --requirements - /Applications/Jamf\ Compliance\ Editor.app
```

- Compare what the helper *thinks* it is authorizing with what the client supplies. When reversing, break on `AuthorizationCopyRights` and confirm the `AuthorizationRef` originates from `AuthorizationCreateFromExternalForm` (client provided) instead of the helper’s own privileged context, otherwise you likely found a CWE-863 pattern similar to the cases above.

## Reversing Authorization

### Checking if EvenBetterAuthorization is used
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -439,6 +454,8 @@ int main(void) {
## References

- [https://theevilbit.github.io/posts/secure_coding_xpc_part1/](https://theevilbit.github.io/posts/secure_coding_xpc_part1/)
- [https://khronokernel.com/macos/2024/05/01/CVE-2024-4395.html](https://khronokernel.com/macos/2024/05/01/CVE-2024-4395.html)
- [https://www.sentinelone.com/vulnerability-database/cve-2025-25251/](https://www.sentinelone.com/vulnerability-database/cve-2025-25251/)

{{#include ../../../../../banners/hacktricks-training.md}}

Expand Down