CVE-2018-4351

Vulnerability

A memory initialization issue exists in macOS prior to version 10.14 (Mojave). The bug is present in the Bluetooth component and affects a wide range of Mac models, including iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012), Mac mini (Mid 2011), MacBook Air (11-inch, Mid 2011), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012), and Mac Pro (Late 2013), among others [1]. The issue arises from improper memory handling, which can lead to the disclosure of uninitialized kernel memory contents to userspace.

Exploitation

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must have the ability to run a malicious application on the target system. No special network position or authentication is required beyond standard user-level access. The malicious application can then trigger the memory initialization flaw in the Bluetooth component, causing the kernel to leak sensitive memory regions to the application.

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to read uninitialized kernel memory, which may contain sensitive information such as cryptographic keys, passwords, or other confidential data. The disclosure is limited to information disclosure (CIA: confidentiality loss) and does not provide code execution or privilege escalation directly.

Mitigation

Apple addressed this issue in macOS Mojave 10.14, released on September 24, 2018 [1]. Users should update to macOS 10.14 or later to remediate the vulnerability. No workarounds are listed in the available references.