Unveiling Mac Security: A Comprehensive Exploration of Sandboxing and AppData TCC

This Black Hat conference talk explores the intricate security architecture of macOS, focusing on sandboxing mechanisms and TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) protections. Learn how researchers shifted their focus from Android to macOS vulnerabilities, developing methodologies that uncovered numerous security issues. Discover a generic method for escaping macOS application sandboxes and understand the permission granting mechanisms within the operating system. The presentation examines how macOS 14.0 implemented new TCC protections that prevent non-sandboxed apps from accessing private container folders of sandboxed applications like WeChat, Slack, and WhatsApp—a significant security improvement. Delve into the complex implementation of these protections, which involve multiple high-privilege system processes and Sandbox.kext, and understand how potential abuse could lead to unauthorized access to arbitrary files. Presented by Zhongquan Li, Senior Security Researcher, and Qidan He, Director and Chief Researcher at Dawn Security Lab, JD.com, this 39-minute talk provides valuable insights for security professionals interested in macOS vulnerabilities.