CVE-2024-23260 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows an application to access user-sensitive data improperly due to the presence of excessive entitlements granted to apps. Entitlements in macOS define the permissions an app has, and in this case, additional entitlements were mistakenly provided, enabling apps to bypass intended access controls. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions of macOS prior to the release of macOS Sonoma 14.4, where Apple addressed the issue by removing these additional entitlements. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with an attack vector classified as local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. This means an attacker with local access and low privileges could potentially read sensitive user data without needing to trick the user or escalate privileges. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, indicating the vulnerability is not actively exploited yet. However, the risk remains significant for environments where local access by untrusted apps is possible. The vulnerability highlights the importance of strict entitlement management in macOS to prevent unauthorized data access.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-23260 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. This could include personal information, credentials stored in user profiles, or other confidential data accessible to apps with excessive entitlements. While the vulnerability does not allow modification or disruption of system operations, the confidentiality breach could lead to privacy violations, compliance issues (e.g., GDPR), and potential lateral movement if sensitive data includes authentication tokens or credentials. Organizations with a significant number of macOS endpoints, especially in sectors like finance, technology, and government, are at higher risk. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or malware that gains local foothold could exploit this vulnerability. The absence of user interaction needed for exploitation increases the stealth and risk of unnoticed data leakage. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine trust in endpoint security and necessitates prompt remediation to avoid data breaches and regulatory penalties.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Sonoma 14.4 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed by removing the excessive entitlements. 2. Enforce strict application control policies to limit installation of untrusted or unnecessary apps, reducing the risk of local exploitation. 3. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for unusual app behaviors that may indicate attempts to access sensitive data improperly. 4. Limit user privileges on macOS devices to the minimum necessary to reduce the attack surface for local privilege exploitation. 5. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of applying system updates promptly. 6. Implement data encryption and access controls on sensitive data to add layers of protection even if an app gains unintended access. 7. Regularly audit installed apps and their entitlements to detect and remove apps with excessive permissions. 8. Consider network segmentation and endpoint isolation strategies to contain potential local threats.