CVE-2020-9978 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2020-9978 article provides insights into a vulnerability affecting various Apple products.

Understanding CVE-2020-9978

What is CVE-2020-9978?

CVE-2020-9978 is a vulnerability that allows an attacker in a privileged network position to unexpectedly alter application state.

The Impact of CVE-2020-9978

The vulnerability affects multiple Apple products, potentially leading to unauthorized changes in application state.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-9978

Vulnerability Description

The issue was resolved through improved setting propagation. Fixes were implemented in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, tvOS 14.0, macOS Big Sur 11.1, Security Update 2020-001 Catalina, Security Update 2020-007 Mojave, watchOS 7.0, iOS 14.0, and iPadOS 14.0.

Affected Systems and Versions

tvOS: Less than version 14.0
watchOS: Less than version 7.0
iOS and iPadOS: Less than version 14.0
macOS: Less than versions 11.0 and 11.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker positioned in a privileged network environment.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected systems to the patched versions mentioned above.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and apply security patches promptly.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure all Apple devices are updated to the latest recommended versions to mitigate the vulnerability.