CVE-2024-23281 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows a local application to access sensitive user data due to improper state management within the operating system. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, meaning that any app running on the affected macOS versions could potentially exploit this flaw to read confidential information without authorization. The exact versions affected are unspecified, but the issue has been addressed and fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.4. The vulnerability’s CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.2, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N shows that the attack requires local access (AV:L), has low attack complexity (AC:L), requires no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality (C:H) without affecting integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The root cause is related to state management errors in the OS that allow apps to bypass expected access controls and read sensitive user data. This flaw could be leveraged by malicious or compromised applications to exfiltrate personal or corporate data stored or accessible on the device. The fix involves improved state management implemented by Apple in the latest OS update. Organizations relying on macOS devices should prioritize patching to prevent potential data breaches.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive user and corporate data on macOS devices. Since exploitation requires only local access without privileges or user interaction, any malicious app or insider threat could leverage this flaw to access confidential information, potentially leading to data leaks, intellectual property theft, or exposure of personal data protected under GDPR. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government that handle sensitive data and use Apple hardware are particularly vulnerable. The impact is mitigated somewhat by the need for local access, but the ease of exploitation without user interaction increases risk from insider threats or supply chain compromises. Unpatched macOS systems in European enterprises could become targets for espionage or data theft campaigns. Additionally, the breach of confidentiality could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Immediately update all macOS devices to Sonoma 14.4 or later to apply the official patch from Apple. 2) Enforce strict application control policies using Apple’s Endpoint Security framework or MDM solutions to restrict installation of untrusted or unsigned apps, minimizing the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. 3) Conduct regular audits of installed applications and running processes on macOS endpoints to detect suspicious activity or unauthorized software. 4) Educate users about the risks of installing software from unverified sources and encourage adherence to corporate security policies. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of monitoring local app behavior and flagging anomalous access to sensitive data. 6) For highly sensitive environments, consider network segmentation and limiting physical and remote access to macOS devices to reduce the attack surface. 7) Maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly respond to any data breach incidents. These targeted measures go beyond generic patching advice and address the specific exploitation vector and threat model of this vulnerability.