CVE-2022-42795 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS and other Apple operating systems such as tvOS 16, iOS 16, and watchOS 9. The vulnerability arises from improper memory handling when processing specially crafted image files, leading to a memory consumption issue classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write). Exploiting this flaw allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability requires no privileges (PR:N) and can be triggered remotely over the network (AV:N) by convincing a user to open or process a malicious image file, as user interaction is required (UI:R). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all rated high), indicating that successful exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data theft, or system disruption. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the exploit affects the vulnerable component without extending privileges beyond the current user context. Apple addressed this issue by improving memory handling in the affected components, and patches are included in macOS Ventura 13 and the corresponding versions of other Apple OSes. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date, but the high CVSS score (8.8) and the nature of the vulnerability suggest that exploitation is feasible and potentially impactful.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those with a substantial deployment of Apple devices running macOS or other affected Apple operating systems. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely by processing a malicious image could lead to widespread compromise of endpoints, resulting in data breaches, espionage, ransomware deployment, or disruption of critical services. Sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, which often rely on Apple devices for secure communications and operations, may face elevated risks. The confidentiality of sensitive information could be severely impacted, as attackers could gain unauthorized access to internal systems and data. Integrity and availability could also be compromised, potentially leading to system manipulation or denial of service. The requirement for user interaction (e.g., opening a malicious image) means that social engineering or phishing campaigns could be used to facilitate exploitation, increasing the attack surface. Given the high prevalence of Apple devices in European enterprises and public sector organizations, the vulnerability could have broad implications if not promptly addressed.

European organizations should prioritize deploying the security updates provided by Apple in macOS Ventura 13 and the corresponding versions of tvOS, iOS, and watchOS. Beyond patching, organizations should implement advanced email and web filtering solutions to detect and block malicious image files before they reach end users. Endpoint protection platforms should be configured to monitor and restrict the execution of suspicious processes triggered by image processing. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of opening unsolicited or unexpected image files, especially from unknown sources. Network segmentation can limit the lateral movement of attackers in case of successful exploitation. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to restrict the ability of arbitrary code to execute with elevated privileges. Regular vulnerability scanning and asset inventory management will help identify unpatched Apple devices. Finally, incident response plans should be updated to include scenarios involving exploitation of image processing vulnerabilities to ensure rapid containment and remediation.