CVE-2022-42799 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS and related operating systems, including tvOS, watchOS, iOS, iPadOS, and the Safari browser. The vulnerability arises from improper user interface (UI) handling that allows a malicious website to perform UI spoofing attacks. UI spoofing involves deceiving users by presenting fake or misleading interface elements, potentially tricking them into performing unintended actions or divulging sensitive information. This vulnerability does not require any privileges or authentication to exploit but does require user interaction, specifically visiting a malicious website. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by potentially misleading users to disclose sensitive data or perform harmful actions under false pretenses. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 6.1, indicating a medium severity level. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, such as other processes or system components. The vulnerability was addressed by Apple through improved UI handling in updates to macOS Ventura 13, tvOS 16.1, watchOS 9.1, Safari 16.1, iOS 16.1, and iPadOS 16.1. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date. The underlying weakness is classified under CWE-1021, which relates to UI spoofing and misleading user interface elements. Overall, this vulnerability leverages the trust users place in the system UI to trick them into unsafe behaviors, which can lead to compromised confidentiality and integrity of user data.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily through social engineering attacks that exploit UI spoofing to deceive users into divulging credentials, installing malware, or performing unauthorized actions. Organizations relying on Apple devices, particularly macOS and iOS platforms, are at risk of targeted phishing campaigns leveraging this vulnerability. The impact includes potential data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive systems, and compromise of user accounts. Since the vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms, organizations with a diverse Apple device ecosystem are more exposed. The medium severity and requirement for user interaction mean that while the risk is not immediately critical, it can be exploited in targeted attacks, especially against high-value targets such as financial institutions, government agencies, and enterprises with sensitive data. Additionally, the scope change indicates that the attack could affect multiple system components, increasing the potential impact. European organizations should be aware that attackers may craft sophisticated malicious websites to exploit this vulnerability, potentially bypassing traditional security controls that do not inspect UI elements or user interactions deeply.

1. Ensure all Apple devices within the organization are updated promptly to the patched versions: macOS Ventura 13, tvOS 16.1, watchOS 9.1, Safari 16.1, iOS 16.1, and iPadOS 16.1. 2. Implement network-level web filtering to block access to known malicious websites and employ DNS filtering solutions that can prevent users from reaching phishing or spoofing sites. 3. Educate users about the risks of UI spoofing and train them to recognize suspicious website behaviors, such as unexpected prompts or inconsistent UI elements. 4. Deploy endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting and blocking phishing and social engineering attempts, including browser extensions that warn about suspicious sites. 5. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the impact of credential theft resulting from UI spoofing attacks. 6. Monitor network traffic and user behavior for anomalies that may indicate exploitation attempts, such as unusual access patterns or data exfiltration. 7. For organizations with custom or critical web applications accessed via Apple devices, conduct security assessments to ensure these applications are resilient against UI spoofing and related attacks. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling suspected UI spoofing or phishing incidents to minimize damage and recover quickly.