CVE-2023-28826 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS operating systems where an application may gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data due to inadequate redaction of such information. The root cause lies in the failure of the system to properly obscure or withhold sensitive data when accessed by apps, potentially exposing confidential information. This vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions, including Monterey prior to 12.7.4, Ventura prior to 13.6.5, and Sonoma prior to 14.1, as well as iOS and iPadOS versions before 16.7.6. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N indicating that the attack requires local access and user interaction but no privileges, and results in high confidentiality impact without affecting integrity or availability. Apple addressed the issue by improving the redaction process to ensure sensitive data is properly concealed from unauthorized apps. No public exploits have been reported, but the vulnerability poses a risk of sensitive data leakage if exploited. The vulnerability’s exploitation requires an app to be installed and the user to interact with it, making social engineering or malicious app distribution potential attack vectors.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-28826 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. This can lead to privacy violations, leakage of confidential corporate information, and potential compliance issues under GDPR and other data protection regulations. Since the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or availability, the risk is focused on confidentiality breaches. Organizations with employees using macOS devices for handling sensitive or regulated data are particularly at risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction reduces the likelihood of remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or risks from malicious apps distributed via social engineering. The exposure could undermine trust in Apple devices within enterprise environments and complicate compliance with European data protection mandates. Additionally, sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, which handle highly sensitive data, may face increased risks if devices remain unpatched.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately deploy the Apple security updates macOS Monterey 12.7.4, Ventura 13.6.5, Sonoma 14.1, and iOS/iPadOS 16.7.6 or later to all affected devices. 2) Enforce strict application control policies using Apple’s Endpoint Security Framework or Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to restrict installation of untrusted or unsigned apps. 3) Educate users about the risks of installing unknown applications and the importance of avoiding social engineering attacks that could lead to installing malicious apps. 4) Monitor macOS devices for unusual app behavior or unauthorized access attempts to sensitive data using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools tailored for macOS. 5) Review and tighten app permissions and privacy settings to limit access to sensitive data where possible. 6) Conduct regular audits of installed applications and remove unnecessary or suspicious software. 7) Integrate vulnerability management processes to ensure timely patching of Apple devices in the enterprise environment.