High
CVE-2021-30657 — Malicious applications may bypass Gatekeeper checks
CVE-2021-30657 — Malicious applications may bypass Gatekeeper checks
Description
macOS versions prior to 11.3 contain a vulnerability in an unspecified component of System Preferences which, when exploited, results in privilege escalation and the ability to bypass Gatekeeper — the macOS built-in malware detection and prevention service.
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Technical Analysis
Rating this vulnerability as high since it bypasses all of the checks that MacOS performs on downloaded files. It was reportedly introduced in MacOS version 10.15, and the fix is in version 11.3. This vulnerability has also been reported as being exploited in the wild.
An unsigned, unnotarized binary downloaded from the Internet is typically blocked from execution; however a script-based app with no Info.plist file bypasses those checks. To read about how that exactly happens, see the objective-see blog post here. This does require user interaction for success, but all it takes is a download and a double click. Additionally, an exploit is quite trivial to make, as all it really needs is a valid app without the Info.plist file bundled with it. As always, install your updates.
CVSS V3 Severity and Metrics
General Information
Vendors
- Apple
Products
- macOS,
- macOS
Metasploit Modules
Exploited in the Wild
