CVE-2022-22637 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Safari web browser, identified as a logic issue related to improper state management that leads to unexpected cross-origin behavior. This flaw affects multiple Apple operating systems including macOS Monterey 12.3, Safari 15.4, watchOS 8.5, iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and tvOS 15.4. The vulnerability allows a malicious website to bypass the same-origin policy, a fundamental security mechanism that restricts how documents or scripts loaded from one origin can interact with resources from another origin. Exploiting this vulnerability could enable an attacker to perform unauthorized actions or access sensitive data across different web origins, potentially compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of user data. The issue is classified under CWE-346, which relates to improper verification of cryptographic signatures or similar security checks, indicating that the logic flaw undermines the browser's security state validation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. Although no known exploits in the wild have been reported, the vulnerability's high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability makes it a critical concern. Apple addressed this issue through improved state management in the specified OS and Safari versions, emphasizing the importance of applying these updates promptly.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant risks especially for those relying on Apple devices and Safari for web access. The cross-origin bypass could allow attackers to steal sensitive corporate information, session tokens, or credentials by tricking users into visiting malicious websites. This could lead to data breaches, unauthorized transactions, or lateral movement within corporate networks. Industries with high regulatory requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government are particularly vulnerable due to the potential exposure of personal data and critical information. Additionally, the vulnerability could facilitate phishing campaigns or web-based malware delivery, increasing the attack surface. Given the widespread use of Apple products in Europe, the threat could impact both employees working remotely and on-premises, complicating incident response and increasing the risk of compliance violations under GDPR and other data protection laws.

European organizations should prioritize deploying the latest Apple security updates that fix this vulnerability: macOS Monterey 12.3, Safari 15.4, watchOS 8.5, iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and tvOS 15.4. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict web filtering to block access to known malicious websites and employ DNS filtering solutions to reduce exposure to phishing domains. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of interacting with untrusted websites and the importance of updating devices promptly. Network segmentation can limit the impact of compromised endpoints. Additionally, organizations should monitor network traffic for unusual cross-origin requests and leverage endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify suspicious browser behaviors. Enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) can mitigate the risk of credential theft resulting from this vulnerability. Finally, organizations should maintain an inventory of Apple devices and ensure compliance with update policies to reduce the attack surface.