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CVE-2014-4434: Apple macOS before 10.10 can crash from malicious filename

CVE-2014-4434 · published 12 years ago

Summary

The core part of macOS versions earlier than 10.10 can be forced to stop working if an attacker nearby creates a specially crafted file name on an HFS drive. This causes the system to freeze or restart, interrupting business operations. Update macOS to version 10.10 or later, or avoid using HFS volumes with untrusted files.

What to do

The CVE record does not list a fixed version. Check the vendor's site or the advisory links below - a fix may already be released.

Affected software

Vendor	Product	Affected versions
apple	mac_os_x	<= 10.9.5 `cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x::::::::`

Original advisory text

The kernel in Apple OS X before 10.10 allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) via a crafted filename on an HFS filesystem.

References

Fix within

Internet-facing 60 days

Internal At next upgrade

Not known to be exploited
Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
Gives an attacker partial control (estimated)

Severity

4.9 Medium

Exploitation

<1% chance of attack within 30 days

Type

CWE-20Improper Input Validation

Timeline

Published18 Oct 2014

Updated4 Nov 2026

First seen29 Sep 2026

Sources

CVE-2014-4434 · NVD

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