CVE-2022-32799 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in Security Update 2022-005 Catalina and macOS Monterey 12.5. The vulnerability arises from an out-of-bounds read condition, classified under CWE-125, where improper bounds checking allows a user positioned with privileged network access to potentially read sensitive information from memory. This flaw does not require authentication or user interaction but does require the attacker to be in a privileged network position, such as a man-in-the-middle or someone with access to network traffic between the target macOS device and other network entities. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by enabling unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, but it does not affect integrity or availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.9, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The vulnerability was fixed by Apple through improved bounds checking in the specified security updates, emphasizing the importance of applying these patches promptly to mitigate the risk of sensitive information leakage.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality, as attackers with privileged network access could exploit it to leak sensitive information from macOS systems. Organizations with macOS devices in environments where network traffic could be intercepted or manipulated—such as public Wi-Fi, shared networks, or poorly segmented internal networks—are at increased risk. The impact is heightened for sectors handling sensitive or regulated data, including finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the leakage of confidential information could lead to data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), reputational damage, and potential financial losses. The requirement for a privileged network position limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where insider threats or sophisticated attackers may gain such access.

European organizations should prioritize deploying the Apple Security Update 2022-005 Catalina and macOS Monterey 12.5 or later versions that contain the fix for CVE-2022-32799. Beyond patching, organizations should implement network segmentation and enforce strict access controls to minimize the possibility of attackers gaining privileged network positions. Employing network encryption protocols such as TLS for all communications can reduce the risk of interception. Monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns and deploying intrusion detection systems can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments of their network architecture to identify and remediate any weaknesses that could allow an attacker to achieve privileged network access. User education about the risks of connecting to untrusted networks and the importance of VPN use can further reduce exposure. Finally, maintaining an asset inventory of macOS devices and ensuring they are promptly updated is critical for comprehensive risk management.