CVE-2022-42862 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS, specifically related to the system's Privacy preferences. The issue allows an application to bypass the privacy controls that macOS enforces to protect user data and system resources. This vulnerability was addressed by Apple through the removal of the vulnerable code and is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.1, as well as iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2. The vulnerability is classified 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), the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. This means that a malicious app running locally on a vulnerable macOS system can access sensitive information or resources that should be protected by privacy preferences without proper authorization, potentially exposing confidential user data. However, the attack cannot modify data or disrupt system availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the affected versions are unspecified but presumably all versions prior to macOS Ventura 13.1. The vulnerability is significant because it undermines the privacy model of macOS, which is a key security feature designed to prevent unauthorized access to user data by applications. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but still poses a risk if a user installs or runs a malicious app locally.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information on macOS devices, including corporate laptops and desktops used by employees. Since the vulnerability allows bypassing privacy preferences, malicious applications could access protected data such as contacts, calendars, photos, or other sensitive files without user consent. This could result in data breaches, violation of GDPR regulations, and potential reputational damage. The impact is particularly critical for sectors handling sensitive personal or business data, such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government institutions. Although exploitation requires local access and user interaction, targeted attacks involving social engineering or insider threats could leverage this vulnerability to exfiltrate confidential information. The lack of impact on integrity and availability means the threat is primarily confidentiality-focused, but the breach of privacy controls undermines user trust and compliance with privacy laws. Organizations relying heavily on Apple macOS devices should consider this vulnerability in their risk assessments and incident response planning.

1. Ensure all macOS devices are updated to macOS Ventura 13.1 or later, as this patch removes the vulnerable code. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted applications to run on corporate macOS systems to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. 3. Implement endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting suspicious local application behavior that attempts to access privacy-protected resources. 4. Educate users on the risks of installing untrusted applications and the importance of avoiding social engineering tactics that could lead to running malicious software. 5. Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools to monitor and control application permissions and privacy settings centrally. 6. Regularly audit macOS privacy preference settings and application access logs to detect any unauthorized access attempts. 7. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting local user privileges to limit the ability to install or execute unapproved applications. 8. Maintain an inventory of macOS devices and their patch levels to ensure timely updates and compliance.