CVE-2020-9839 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2020-9839, a vulnerability in Apple products that could allow applications to gain elevated privileges. Find out affected systems, exploitation details, and mitigation steps.
A race condition was addressed with improved state handling in Apple products, fixing a vulnerability that could allow an application to gain elevated privileges.
Understanding CVE-2020-9839
What is CVE-2020-9839?
CVE-2020-9839 is a vulnerability in Apple products that could potentially allow an application to gain elevated privileges due to a race condition that was addressed with improved state handling.
The Impact of CVE-2020-9839
The vulnerability could be exploited by an application to gain elevated privileges on affected Apple devices running specific versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-9839
Vulnerability Description
A race condition issue was fixed in iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5, macOS Catalina 10.15.5, tvOS 13.4.5, and watchOS 6.2.5, preventing potential privilege escalation.
Affected Systems and Versions
The following Apple products and versions are affected:
- iOS: Less than iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5
- macOS: Less than macOS Catalina 10.15.5
- tvOS: Less than tvOS 13.4.5
- watchOS: Less than watchOS 6.2.5
Exploitation Mechanism
An application could exploit the race condition vulnerability to gain elevated privileges on the affected Apple devices.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update affected devices to the fixed versions: iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5, macOS Catalina 10.15.5, tvOS 13.4.5, and watchOS 6.2.5
- Regularly monitor for security updates from Apple
Long-Term Security Practices
- Implement least privilege access controls
- Regularly review and update security configurations
Patching and Updates
- Apply security patches promptly
- Keep all Apple devices up to date with the latest software releases