Apple Fixes Critical macOS Exploit: What You Need to Know About CVE-2024-44236

Introduction

A newly disclosed vulnerability in macOS, tracked as CVE-2024-44236, has shed light on the persistent risks hidden within trusted system utilities. Discovered by cybersecurity expert Hossein Lotfi of the Trend Zero Day Initiative and further examined by Trend Micro’s Research Team, the flaw reveals how even Apple’s robust ecosystem is not immune to remote code execution threats caused by poor input validation. This critical vulnerability was found in the sips utility—an often-overlooked yet integral macOS command-line tool used for image and ICC profile processing. Although Apple has already released a patch, the vulnerability’s technical depth and potential impact underscore the urgent need for proactive system security management.

Key Takeaways on CVE-2024-44236 (30-Line Summary)

CVE-2024-44236 is a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting macOS’s sips utility.
The flaw is tied to improper input validation of ICC Profile files, specifically within lutAToBType and lutBToAType tag types.
ICC Profiles standardize color data across devices and applications, making them widespread and often trusted.
The vulnerability lies in the mishandling of the “Offset to CLUT” (Color Look-Up Table) field in tag data.
In certain cases, the utility reads beyond the buffer limit, leading to an out-of-bounds write—a classic trigger for arbitrary code execution.
A malicious ICC profile could be crafted to exploit this flaw when processed by the vulnerable version of sips.
The vulnerable function (sub_1000194D0) exists in sips version 307 running on macOS 15.0.1.
Attackers could potentially gain the same privileges as the user running the command, posing a major risk on systems used by administrators or automated workflows.
Exploitation would require convincing a user to open or process a crafted image or ICC profile file, making social engineering a likely vector.
Protocols such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, IMAP, and even file-sharing systems like SMB are possible transport channels for delivering malicious payloads.
All data in ICC profiles is in big-endian format, an important detail for threat detection mechanisms.
Security monitoring tools can detect exploitation attempts by examining ICC file headers and CLUT offset values.
Apple released a patch in October 2024 to resolve the issue.
So far, no real-world exploitation has been reported, though the attack surface remains critical.
There are currently no suggested mitigations from Apple aside from applying the patch.
ICC profiles are deeply embedded in graphic design, photography, and printing workflows, increasing the reach of this flaw.
The vulnerability emphasizes the danger of trusting internal system utilities without regular audits and validation checks.
System administrators should treat image-processing utilities as potential attack vectors, especially in automated or batch processing environments.
The exploit does not require user interaction beyond file handling—heightening the risk factor.
Security professionals should focus on deep packet inspection and file integrity monitoring for proactive defense.
Given the complexity of ICC files, attackers could easily obfuscate payloads, complicating traditional signature-based detection.
Apple did not indicate any backward compatibility risks, implying that the patch doesn’t disrupt workflows.
As a system-level utility, sips has broad permissions by default, expanding the damage potential of successful attacks.
Developers integrating macOS’s image-handling tools should validate inputs independently, even post-patch.
Organizations using Mac-based creative teams should be especially cautious and enforce the patch deployment.
CVE-2024-44236 exemplifies the ongoing battle between zero-day threats and timely security patching.
It also reinforces the importance of supporting white-hat researchers and bug bounty initiatives.

The

IT teams should review any ICC profile workflows or automated processing pipelines to minimize exposure.

What Undercode Say:

CVE-2024-44236 presents a textbook example of how powerful system utilities, even in hardened environments like macOS, can become liabilities when input validation is neglected. The flaw’s root cause lies in the handling of ICC Profile data—specifically, in how offset values are read and validated within color mapping structures. The sips utility, though not widely recognized by casual users, is fundamental in many creative and automation tasks, especially in media-heavy industries. This makes it a stealthy but high-value target for attackers seeking privilege escalation or code execution on macOS systems.

From an analytical lens, the vulnerability spotlights a broader issue: legacy data formats like ICC, which are still in use today, often weren’t designed with modern attack vectors in mind. Their complex structure and reliance on binary formats make them harder to parse safely, especially when performance or compatibility pressures discourage comprehensive validation.

This is not just a flaw in code—it’s a reflection of design choices made years ago, now being stress-tested by contemporary threat models. The out-of-bounds write exploit is a common tactic in buffer overflow attacks, yet its success here in a first-party Apple utility reveals how security can be inadvertently sidelined during development.

Importantly, the vulnerability allows remote execution without user interaction beyond file handling. That makes social engineering particularly dangerous. A simple shared file through email or cloud storage could trigger an attack if auto-processed by scripts or applications using sips.

From a threat mitigation standpoint, the reliance on protocol monitoring (HTTP, FTP, SMB, etc.) for ICC file inspection is a smart defense layer. However, it assumes attackers won’t find obfuscation tactics to bypass detection engines—something they’re historically adept at doing.

For developers and DevSecOps teams, this vulnerability underscores the necessity of sandboxing system-level tools and conducting strict input sanitization, even when relying on native OS components. In enterprise environments, especially those utilizing creative software stacks, administrators should consider more than just patching. They need to audit all processes that invoke sips, especially batch pipelines or cloud automation flows.

From an incident response perspective, blue teams should create specific detection rules targeting unusual ICC profile usage, particularly those triggering sips outside of traditional contexts. For red teams and penetration testers, this exploit provides a case study in how overlooked tools can yield powerful results.

Ultimately, the industry should use CVE-2024-44236 as a learning moment. As attackers dive deeper into systems for exploitable surface area, defenders must anticipate that even “safe” utilities carry risks. Relying solely on vendor patches is no longer sufficient—security must be proactive, layered, and deeply integrated.

Fact Checker Results:

The vulnerability was confirmed and documented by Trend Micro’s security research team.
Apple’s patch in October 2024 fully addresses the flaw; no active exploits have been reported.
The described attack method and detection strategy align with best practices in vulnerability analysis.

Prediction:

As cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, attackers are likely to explore non-traditional system utilities like sips more aggressively. In the next 12–18 months, we anticipate a rise in exploits targeting file format parsing in both desktop and mobile OS environments. Expect Apple to ramp up its internal audits of utilities interacting with complex binary formats, while other vendors may follow suit to avoid similar exposure. Additionally, advanced persistent threat (APT) actors might begin embedding payloads in ICC files, leveraging this newly spotlighted attack vector in stealth campaigns.