CVE-2022-32833 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple iOS devices prior to iOS 16, related to improper handling of file paths used to store website data. Specifically, the issue arises from insecure storage mechanisms for browsing history data, which could allow an unauthorized user to access the browsing history without requiring any privileges or user interaction. The root cause is linked to how website data files are stored and accessed, potentially exposing sensitive user browsing information. This vulnerability falls under CWE-922, which concerns improper permissions or access control on critical resources. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3, indicating a moderate risk, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N, meaning it is remotely exploitable without authentication or user interaction, impacts confidentiality only (limited to browsing history), and does not affect integrity or availability. Apple resolved this issue by improving the storage methodology for website data in iOS 16. No known exploits have been reported in the wild to date, and the affected versions are unspecified but presumably all iOS versions prior to 16. This vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to gain unauthorized insight into a user's browsing habits, which may lead to privacy violations or targeted social engineering attacks.

For European organizations, the exposure of browsing history on iOS devices can have significant privacy and security implications. Browsing history can reveal sensitive information about user behavior, interests, and potentially confidential business activities if corporate devices are affected. This could lead to targeted phishing or spear-phishing campaigns, corporate espionage, or reputational damage if sensitive browsing data is leaked. Privacy regulations such as the GDPR impose strict requirements on protecting personal data, and unauthorized access to browsing history could result in compliance violations and associated fines. Organizations with employees using iOS devices for work, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, legal, and government, are at higher risk. The vulnerability does not directly impact system integrity or availability, but the confidentiality breach alone can undermine trust and lead to indirect operational risks.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize updating all iOS devices to iOS 16 or later, where the issue is fixed. Device management policies should enforce timely OS updates and restrict the use of outdated iOS versions. Organizations should implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to monitor device compliance and enforce security baselines. Additionally, sensitive browsing should be discouraged on corporate devices or limited through the use of secure browsers with enhanced privacy controls. Network-level protections such as VPNs and DNS filtering can reduce exposure to malicious sites that might exploit such vulnerabilities. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of unauthorized data access and encourage reporting of suspicious activity. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting the use of personal iOS devices or enforcing containerization and app-level data segregation to limit data leakage. Regular audits of device security posture and browsing data access logs can help detect potential exploitation attempts.