CVE-2023-41987 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows an application to access sensitive user data due to insufficient access control checks. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200, indicating an information exposure issue. The flaw was addressed by Apple through improved verification mechanisms in macOS Sonoma 14, which ensures that apps cannot bypass intended data access restrictions. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.5 (medium severity), with the 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), and no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). This means an attacker must have local access to the device and trick the user into interacting with a malicious app to exploit the vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data, potentially including personal or confidential information stored or accessible on the macOS device. No public exploits or active exploitation in the wild have been reported to date. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions of macOS prior to Sonoma 14, so all users running earlier versions are potentially vulnerable. The fix involves updating to macOS Sonoma 14 or later, which implements stricter access checks to prevent unauthorized data access by apps.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of sensitive data leakage from macOS devices, which could include personal employee information, corporate documents, or other confidential data. The confidentiality breach could lead to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), and potential reputational damage. Since the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, the risk is somewhat mitigated by physical security and user awareness; however, insider threats or social engineering attacks could exploit this vector. Organizations with a significant macOS user base, especially in sectors handling sensitive data such as finance, healthcare, and government, may face increased risk. The lack of impact on integrity and availability limits the threat to data exposure rather than system disruption. No known exploits in the wild reduce immediate risk but do not eliminate the need for prompt remediation.

1. Immediately update all macOS devices to macOS Sonoma 14 or later, as this version contains the patch that addresses the vulnerability. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted applications to run on organizational macOS devices. 3. Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted applications or links, emphasizing the need to avoid running unknown software. 4. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring and alerting on unusual app behaviors that may indicate attempts to access sensitive data. 5. Regularly audit app permissions and remove unnecessary access rights to sensitive data. 6. Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools to enforce security configurations and ensure compliance with patch management policies. 7. Monitor for insider threats and suspicious local activity that could exploit this vulnerability. 8. Maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly address any data exposure incidents.