CVE-2020-9856 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2020-9856 article provides details about a vulnerability in macOS that could allow an application to gain elevated privileges.

Understanding CVE-2020-9856

This CVE-2020-9856 vulnerability was addressed with improved checks and fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.5. The issue could potentially enable an application to gain elevated privileges.

What is CVE-2020-9856?

CVE-2020-9856 is a vulnerability in macOS that could be exploited by an application to elevate its privileges.

The Impact of CVE-2020-9856

The vulnerability could allow malicious applications to gain elevated privileges on affected systems, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-9856

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue was fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.5 with improved checks to prevent applications from gaining elevated privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: macOS
Vendor: Apple
Affected Versions:
macOS Catalina 10.15.5 (and versions below)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious application to gain elevated privileges on the affected macOS systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your system from CVE-2020-9856 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update macOS to version 10.15.5 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Be cautious when granting elevated privileges to applications.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update your operating system and applications to patch security vulnerabilities.
Use reputable security software to detect and prevent malicious activities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure you regularly check for and apply security updates provided by Apple to stay protected from known vulnerabilities.