CVE-2022-42824 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS and related Apple operating systems including tvOS, watchOS, iOS, iPadOS, and the Safari browser. The vulnerability arises from a logic flaw in the processing of web content, which can be maliciously crafted to cause unintended disclosure of sensitive user information. Specifically, the issue is related to improper state management during web content processing, which attackers can exploit by enticing users to visit specially crafted web pages. The vulnerability does not require privileges or authentication but does require user interaction in the form of visiting or interacting with malicious web content. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a medium severity level, with a vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). The flaw could lead to disclosure of sensitive information such as user data or browser state, but does not allow modification or denial of service. Apple addressed this vulnerability by improving state management in the affected components, with patches released in macOS Ventura 13, Safari 16.1, and corresponding updates for other Apple platforms. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions prior to these updates, so unpatched systems remain at risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality of sensitive user information on Apple devices. Organizations with employees or customers using macOS, Safari, or other Apple platforms could face data leakage if users visit malicious websites exploiting this flaw. This could lead to exposure of personal or corporate data, potentially aiding further targeted attacks or espionage. Sectors with high reliance on Apple ecosystems, such as creative industries, media, finance, and government agencies, may be particularly impacted. Although the vulnerability does not allow system compromise or data modification, the confidentiality breach could undermine trust and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. The requirement for user interaction limits large-scale automated exploitation, but targeted phishing or watering-hole attacks remain feasible. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time. Organizations with remote or hybrid workforces using Apple devices are also at risk, as malicious web content can be accessed from any location.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Prioritize timely patching of all Apple devices and software to the fixed versions (macOS Ventura 13, Safari 16.1, iOS/iPadOS 16.1, watchOS 9.1, tvOS 16.1). 2) Implement network-level web filtering to block access to known malicious or suspicious websites, reducing exposure to crafted web content. 3) Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted web content and phishing attempts, emphasizing caution when clicking unknown links. 4) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring unusual browser behavior or data exfiltration attempts. 5) Use browser security features such as disabling unnecessary plugins or scripts that could facilitate exploitation. 6) Monitor threat intelligence feeds for emerging exploits targeting this CVE to enable rapid response. 7) For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting or isolating Apple device web access until patches are applied. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on layered defenses combining patch management, user awareness, network controls, and monitoring tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.