CVE-2014-8824
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe kernel in Apple OS X before 10.10.2 does not properly validate IODataQueue object metadata fields, which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code in a privileged context via a crafted app.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe OS X kernel before 10.10.2 fails to properly validate IODataQueue object metadata fields. IODataQueue is used for inter-process communication between user-space applications and the kernel. The lack of validation allows a malicious crafted application to trigger memory corruption and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level (privileged) privileges, effectively achieving privilege escalation from a normal user context.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data<= 10.10.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the installed OS X versionRun 'sw_vers -productVersion' in Terminal, or click Apple menu > About This Mac to view the version numberAffected if The version displayed is 10.10.1 or earlier (e.g., 10.10.0, 10.9.x, etc.)
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Confirm the kernel build date (optional secondary check)Run 'uname -v' to see the kernel build; OS X 10.10.2 corresponds to kernel build 14C109 or laterAffected if The kernel build is older than 14C109, indicating an unpatched kernel
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Verify IODataQueue is in useIODataQueue is a kernel subsystem used by IOKit for user-kernel IPC; check for IOKit-related processes or confirm the system runs any applications that communicate with kernel extensionsAffected if The system is running any application or service that utilizes IOKit framework for inter-process communication with the kernel, which is common on OS X
If the installed OS X version is 10.10.1 or earlier, the system is vulnerable to CVE-2014-8824 and could allow privilege escalation via IODataQueue metadata manipulation.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade to OS X 10.10.2 or later to obtain the patched kernel that properly validates IODataQueue metadata. This is a critical vulnerability with CVSS 10, so immediate patching is recommended.
Mac OS X 10.10.2 (Yosemite) or later
- Check current Mac OS X version by clicking Apple menu > About This Mac
- Back up all important data using Time Machine or another backup method
- Open System Preferences > Software Update to check for available updates
- Install Mac OS X 10.10.2 (Yosemite) or later via Software Update
- Alternatively, download OS X 10.10.2 or later from Apple's support website and install manually
- Restart the computer after installation completes
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2014-8824 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2014-8824 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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