CVE-2022-42814 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS, specifically addressed in macOS Ventura 13. The issue stems from a logic flaw that allowed an application to potentially access user-sensitive data without proper authorization checks. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, which relates to improper access control. According to the CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H) but none on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). This means that an unprivileged local attacker who can trick a user into interacting with a malicious app could gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data without altering or disrupting system operations. The vulnerability was fixed by Apple through improved logic checks in macOS Ventura 13. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no specific affected versions were detailed beyond the fix being in Ventura 13. The vulnerability highlights a risk where malicious or compromised applications could bypass intended access controls to extract sensitive information from the user environment, potentially including personal files, credentials, or other private data stored or accessible on the system.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant confidentiality risk, especially for sectors relying heavily on macOS devices, such as creative industries, software development firms, and certain governmental or research institutions. Unauthorized access to sensitive data could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or exposure of personally identifiable information (PII), which would have compliance implications under GDPR. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, the threat is more pronounced in environments where endpoint security is lax, or users are susceptible to social engineering attacks. The impact is heightened in organizations with remote or hybrid work models where device control is more challenging. Although integrity and availability are not affected, the confidentiality breach alone can cause reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and financial losses. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for targeted attacks or future exploit development.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS systems to Ventura 13 or later to ensure the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies using Apple’s Endpoint Security framework or third-party EDR solutions to restrict installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications. User training should emphasize the risks of interacting with unknown or suspicious apps, especially those requesting access to sensitive data. Employing macOS’s built-in privacy controls to limit app permissions can reduce exposure. Regular audits of installed applications and monitoring for anomalous access patterns to sensitive files can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, leveraging Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and automate patch deployment will enhance protection. For high-risk environments, consider using sandboxing and virtualization to isolate untrusted applications. Finally, maintaining robust backup and incident response plans will mitigate impact if a breach occurs.