CVE-2024-44236
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 · uneditedAn out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1. Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination.
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 · moderate confidenceOut-of-bounds access vulnerability in macOS file processing components. A maliciously crafted file can trigger an out-of-bounds memory read/write when processed, leading to unexpected application termination. The fix implements improved bounds checking to prevent the out-of-bounds access.
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< 13.7.1>= 14.0, < 14.7.1CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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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Check installed macOS versionRun 'sw_vers -productVersion' in Terminal or go to Apple menu > About This MacAffected if The version is either 13.x before 13.7.1, or 14.x before 14.7.1 (including 14.0 through 14.6.1)
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Identify file processing applicationsReview installed applications that process external files, such as preview utilities, document viewers, or media handlersAffected if Any application that processes untrusted files is a potential trigger point for this vulnerability
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Verify if file quarantine or gatekeeper is enabledRun 'spctl --status' in Terminal to check if Gatekeeper is enabledAffected if While not a complete mitigation, disabled security features may increase exposure to malicious files
You are affected if your macOS version is 13.x below 13.7.1 or 14.x below 14.7.1, and you process untrusted files with any native macOS file handling components
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 · scoped13.7.114.7.1
Update affected macOS installations to the fixed versions: macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, or macOS Ventura 13.7.1.
macOS Ventura 13.7.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, or macOS Sequoia 15.1 (depending on which major version line the system is on)
- Back up important data using Time Machine or another backup solution before proceeding with the update
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions)
- Navigate to General > Software Update
- Allow macOS to check for available updates; if an update is available, click 'Update Now' or 'Upgrade Now'
- If prompted, enter your administrator password to authorize the installation
- Allow the update to download and install; do not interrupt the process
- Restart the computer when prompted to complete the installation
- After restarting, verify the update by going to Apple menu > About This Mac and confirm the version matches one of the fixed releases (Ventura 13.7.1, Sonoma 14.7.1, or Sequoia 15.1)
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-44236 — 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-2024-44236 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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