CVE-2023-42913 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows remote login sessions to escalate privileges and gain full disk access permissions. The root cause is improper state management within the macOS security framework, which fails to correctly enforce access controls for remote login sessions. This flaw enables an attacker who has remote login access with limited privileges (PR:L) to bypass normal security restrictions and obtain full disk access, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, indicating high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and unchanged scope (S:U). The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-922 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) which relates to improper state management leading to privilege escalation. The issue was addressed and fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.2 through improved state management that correctly restricts disk access permissions for remote login sessions. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, but the ease of exploitation combined with the high impact makes this a critical vulnerability to address. The affected versions are unspecified but include all macOS versions prior to 14.2. Organizations relying on remote login services on macOS systems are particularly vulnerable, as attackers could leverage this flaw to access sensitive data or disrupt system operations remotely without requiring user interaction.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to data confidentiality, system integrity, and availability. Attackers exploiting this flaw can gain unauthorized full disk access remotely, potentially leading to data theft, unauthorized data modification, or complete system compromise. This is especially critical for sectors handling sensitive or regulated data such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure. The ability to escalate privileges remotely without user interaction increases the likelihood of successful attacks, including ransomware deployment or espionage. Organizations using macOS devices with remote login enabled are at heightened risk, as attackers can exploit this vulnerability to bypass existing security controls. The impact extends to operational disruption and potential regulatory non-compliance under GDPR if personal data is exposed. Given the widespread use of macOS in European enterprises and public sector entities, the vulnerability could have broad implications if left unpatched.

1. Immediately update all macOS systems to version Sonoma 14.2 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. 2. Audit and restrict remote login (SSH) access to only trusted users and networks, employing network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure. 3. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote login sessions to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. 4. Monitor remote login activity closely using centralized logging and intrusion detection systems to detect anomalous or unauthorized access attempts. 5. Disable remote login services on macOS devices where not strictly necessary to reduce the attack surface. 6. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting privilege escalation attempts and unusual disk access patterns. 7. Educate system administrators and users about the risks associated with remote login and the importance of timely patching. 8. Regularly review and update security policies related to remote access and privilege management to ensure compliance with best practices.