CVE-2023-41254: Enhanced Privacy Protection through Improved Private Data Redaction for Log Entries in iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and macOS

Recently, a privacy issue was discovered and addressed in various Apple operating systems, as described in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures database with the identifier CVE-2023-41254. The issue has been resolved with an improved redaction process for private data in logs. This article delves into the details of this vulnerability, providing an overview of the affected systems, potential exploits, and information about the security updates to mitigate the issue.

Exploit Details

This vulnerability allowed apps to potentially access sensitive user information. Typically, logs containing sensitive user data get redacted to ensure that unauthorized access to such data is prevented. However, this redaction process was found to be inadequate, putting the data at risk of exposure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, which may include personally identifiable information (PII) or other confidential data.

Code Snippet

The following is a code snippet that demonstrates the improper redaction of private data in log entries:

def log_entry(entry):
    sensitive_data = get_sensitive_data(entry)
    log_line = 'User information: {}'.format(sensitive_data)
    redact_private_data(log_line)

def redact_private_data(log_line):
    # Previous, inadequate redaction
    log_line = log_line.replace('Social Security Number', 'XXX-XX-XXXX')
    # Save the redacted log_line in log storage
    log_storage.append(log_line)

With the security updates, the redaction process has been improved to better protect sensitive user information. Here is an example of the updated method:

def redact_private_data(log_line):
    # Improved redaction
    redacted_log_line = re.sub(r'\d{3}-\d{2}-\d{4}', 'XXX-XX-XXXX', log_line)
    # Save the redacted_log_line in log storage
    log_storage.append(redacted_log_line)

Original References

For more details, including information on how the issue was resolved and other potential security implications, refer to the following resources:

- Apple's support document on this issue: About the security content of iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1
- Mitre's CVE page for this vulnerability: CVE-2023-41254
- NIST's National Vulnerability Database entry on the issue: CVE-2023-41254 Detail

Conclusion

CVE-2023-41254 was an important privacy issue affecting multiple Apple devices and their operating systems. The problem has been addressed by enhancing the redaction process used to protect sensitive information in log entries. To ensure the safety of user data, it is highly recommended that all affected device users update their systems to the latest security patch provided by Apple.

Timeline

Published on: 10/25/2023 19:15:09 UTC
Last modified on: 11/02/2023 15:20:39 UTC