| name | maxtac-apple-surface-triage |
| description | Use this skill when Apple platform vulnerability research needs first-pass target, build, entitlement, sandbox, TCC, IPC, service, driver, WebKit, or mitigation-bypass surface triage. |
MaxTAC Apple Surface Triage
Use this skill as the first pass for Apple platform vulnerability research. The goal is to map the build, component, trust boundary, attacker-controlled input, brokered service, entitlement state, and likely proof path before choosing ASB proof, IPSW research, mitigation-bypass work, Binary, Source, Web, or auditor routing.
Operating Rules
- Start from the exact platform and build: macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS, tvOS, watchOS, bridgeOS, firmware, simulator, hardware model, SoC family, and IPSW/OTA build when available.
- Record target identity: bundle ID, Team ID, signing authority, entitlements, sandbox profile, app group, extension point, launchd label, service name, Mach service, XPC service, DriverKit extension, kext, daemon, or WebKit process.
- Map the boundary before naming a bug class: TCC, App Sandbox/Seatbelt, AMFI/code signing, Hardened Runtime, Gatekeeper/quarantine, SIP/SSV, Data Vault, WebContent sandbox, Lockdown Mode, IOKit/kernel, or SPTM/TXM/MIE class mitigations.
- Focus on bypass direction and verifiable proof. Use
maxtac-asb-flag-proof when the path may produce Commpage or TCC Target Flag evidence.
- Use
maxtac-asb-ipsw when build-specific firmware, dyld shared cache, kernelcache, or patch archaeology is needed.
- Use
maxtac-asb-mitigations after a primitive exists and the question is whether Apple mitigations block or shape exploitation.
- Pair with Binary for dyld, kernelcache, native crash replay, or debugger evidence. Pair with Source when source or decompiler output needs static closure.
Triage Workflow
- Define the target slice: product, platform, build, device class, component, process, entitlement set, sandbox state, and program scope.
- Inventory entrypoints: file formats, URL schemes, document handlers, pasteboard, drag/drop, previews, Spotlight/importers, extensions, XPC, Mach services, LaunchServices, launchd jobs, IOKit user clients, DriverKit, WebKit IPC, network services, sync/backup/migration paths, and MDM/profile inputs.
- Map identities and brokers: client audit tokens, code-signing identity, Team ID, bundle ID, entitlements, app groups, security-scoped bookmarks, helper tools, privileged daemons, app extensions, and inherited permissions.
- Identify protected assets and invariants: user data, TCC resources, app container isolation, privileged helper actions, platform-binary trust, unsigned-code restrictions, protected filesystem locations, kernel attack surface, or target-flag state.
- Rank hypotheses around broker confusion, missing audit-token checks, entitlement confusion, path canonicalization, symlink/hardlink/race behavior, stale security-scoped state, plugin loading, IPC schema validation, generated previews, and mitigation-specific bypasses.
- Route to the narrowest skill or auditor. Keep the packet small enough that a proof workflow can continue from it without rediscovering the target.
Apple Surface Triage Packet
Store results under research/apple/<case-id>/surface-triage.md:
## Apple Surface Triage Packet
- Platform/build/hardware:
- Component or target process:
- Bundle/team/signing identity:
- Entitlements and sandbox state:
- Boundary or mitigation:
- Protected asset or target flag:
- Entrypoints:
- Broker/service/helper involved:
- Client identity source:
- Attacker-controlled inputs:
- Expected security invariant:
- Suspect bypass direction:
- Build-specific artifacts:
- Crash/log/proof artifacts collected:
- Suggested workflow: Flag Proof / IPSW / Mitigations / Binary / Source / Web
- Suggested auditor filters:
- Candidate hypothesis:
- Confidence: low / medium / high
Auditor Routing
Use the Apple pack's auditor MCP tools when available. If those tools are not exposed in the current context, use Core's local fallback: python3 <maxtac-core-subagents-skill-dir>/scripts/audit-helper.py --catalog apple --filter <term>. Good starting filters include tcc, sandbox, entitlements, xpc, mach, gatekeeper, quarantine, amfi, code-signing, hardened-runtime, sip, webkit, lockdown-mode, kernel, iokit, driverkit, sptm, mie, and memory-tagging.
