CVE-2024-23216 is a path traversal vulnerability in Apple macOS that arises from insufficient validation of file paths by certain applications. This flaw allows a local app with high privileges to overwrite arbitrary files on the system, potentially leading to a full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory). It affects multiple versions of macOS prior to the patched releases: Sonoma 14.4, Monterey 12.7.4, and Ventura 13.6.5. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.7 (medium), reflecting that exploitation requires local access with high privileges (PR:H), low attack complexity (AC:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a high degree. The vulnerability does not appear to be exploited in the wild yet. The root cause is inadequate path validation that allows an attacker-controlled app to overwrite arbitrary files, which could be leveraged for privilege escalation, persistence, or data tampering. The fix involves improved path validation mechanisms implemented by Apple in the specified macOS updates. Organizations running affected macOS versions are at risk if unpatched apps with elevated privileges are present. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where users have the ability to install or run local apps with elevated rights, such as developer machines, corporate laptops, or shared workstations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk primarily in environments where macOS is widely used, such as creative industries, software development, and certain corporate sectors. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to overwrite critical system or user files, leading to data loss, corruption, or unauthorized modification. This could facilitate privilege escalation, enabling attackers to gain persistent control over affected devices. Confidentiality breaches could occur if sensitive files are overwritten or replaced with malicious content. Integrity and availability impacts are also high, as system stability could be compromised, potentially disrupting business operations. Given the requirement for local high-privilege access, the threat is more acute in scenarios where endpoint security is weak or insider threats exist. European organizations with regulatory obligations around data protection (e.g., GDPR) must consider the risk of data integrity and confidentiality violations. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive patching and mitigation before widespread attacks emerge.

1. Apply the official Apple patches immediately by upgrading to macOS Sonoma 14.4, Monterey 12.7.4, or Ventura 13.6.5 or later. 2. Restrict installation and execution of applications to trusted sources only, leveraging Apple’s Gatekeeper and notarization features to reduce risk of malicious apps gaining elevated privileges. 3. Enforce the principle of least privilege by limiting user and app permissions, especially restricting local admin rights where not necessary. 4. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring file system changes and alerting on suspicious overwrites or modifications. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and privilege assignments to identify and remediate risky configurations. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of running untrusted software with elevated privileges. 7. Use macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Full Disk Encryption (FileVault) to reduce attack surface and protect data at rest. 8. Monitor security advisories from Apple and update systems promptly to address emerging vulnerabilities.