CVE-2022-42817 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple iOS and iPadOS platforms, identified as a logic issue related to improper state management within the system. This flaw allows an attacker to craft a malicious website that, when visited by a user on a vulnerable device, can cause leakage of sensitive data. The vulnerability specifically impacts confidentiality, as it enables unauthorized disclosure of information without requiring any privileges or authentication. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning exploitation can occur remotely over the internet. The attack complexity is low (AC:L), and no privileges are required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R) since the user must visit the malicious website. The vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, focusing solely on data confidentiality. Apple addressed this issue by improving state management logic in the affected components, and patches were released in iOS 15.7.1, iPadOS 15.7.1, iOS 16.1, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9.1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information), indicating that sensitive data can be unintentionally exposed due to improper handling of internal states during web content processing. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the potential for data leakage through web browsing makes this a significant concern for users of vulnerable Apple devices.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42817 primarily concerns the confidentiality of sensitive data accessed or stored on iOS and iPadOS devices. Organizations with employees using vulnerable Apple mobile devices are at risk of data leakage if users visit malicious websites, potentially exposing corporate emails, credentials, or other sensitive information. This risk is heightened in sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, where unauthorized data disclosure can lead to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The vulnerability could be exploited to target employees through phishing campaigns that lure them to malicious websites, facilitating espionage or data theft. Since the flaw requires user interaction, social engineering remains a key risk vector. The impact is particularly relevant for organizations relying heavily on Apple mobile devices for remote work or field operations. However, the lack of impact on system integrity or availability reduces the risk of operational disruption. Overall, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to confidentiality, necessitating prompt patching and user awareness to mitigate potential data leaks.

1. Immediate deployment of the official Apple patches: Ensure all iOS and iPadOS devices within the organization are updated to at least iOS 15.7.1, iPadOS 15.7.1, or later versions including iOS 16.1 and iPadOS 16. 2. Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce timely OS updates and monitor device compliance. 3. Restrict or monitor web browsing on corporate devices by using secure web gateways or DNS filtering to block access to known malicious or suspicious websites. 4. Educate employees about the risks of visiting untrusted websites, emphasizing the importance of cautious behavior when clicking links in emails or messages. 5. Deploy endpoint security solutions capable of detecting and blocking malicious web content or suspicious network activity on mobile devices. 6. For high-risk users or departments, consider disabling or limiting Safari or other web browsers on iOS/iPadOS devices if feasible, or use managed browsers with enhanced security controls. 7. Regularly audit and review device security posture and browsing behavior logs to detect potential exploitation attempts. These targeted measures go beyond generic patching by combining technical controls, user training, and monitoring to reduce the likelihood and impact of exploitation.