CVE-2024-54510 is a race condition vulnerability identified in Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, and related operating systems such as macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, Ventura, tvOS, and watchOS. The root cause is an improper locking mechanism within the kernel that allows a malicious or compromised application to leak sensitive kernel state information. This leakage could expose internal kernel memory details, which are typically protected to maintain system integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, making it potentially exploitable by any app installed on the device. Apple has fixed this issue by improving locking mechanisms in the kernel, releasing patches in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, iPadOS 17.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.7.2, tvOS 18.2, and watchOS 11.2. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.1, reflecting medium severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, high confidentiality impact, and no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-362 (Race Condition). No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date, but the potential for sensitive kernel information leakage could facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or bypassing security controls.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-54510 is the potential leakage of sensitive kernel state information to unauthorized applications. This compromises the confidentiality of kernel memory, which could contain critical system data, security tokens, or other sensitive information. While the vulnerability does not directly affect system integrity or availability, the leaked information could be leveraged by attackers to develop more sophisticated exploits, including privilege escalation or sandbox escape. For organizations, this could lead to unauthorized access to protected system resources or sensitive data on Apple devices. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches, which are widely used in enterprise and consumer environments worldwide. Failure to patch could expose organizations to targeted attacks, especially in sectors where Apple devices are prevalent, such as technology, finance, healthcare, and government. Although exploitation requires local access, the lack of privilege and user interaction requirements lowers the barrier for attackers who can deploy malicious apps or code on devices.

To mitigate CVE-2024-54510, organizations and users should promptly apply the security updates released by Apple for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, iPadOS 17.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.7.2, tvOS 18.2, and watchOS 11.2. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict app vetting policies to prevent installation of untrusted or malicious applications that could exploit this vulnerability. Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to control app deployment and monitor device compliance with security updates. Limit local access to devices by enforcing strong authentication and physical security controls. Additionally, monitor device behavior for unusual kernel or system activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Developers should review their apps for any unintended kernel interactions and avoid practices that could exacerbate race conditions. Finally, maintain an inventory of Apple devices and ensure timely update cycles to reduce exposure windows.