CVE-2024-27796 is a vulnerability in Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems, as well as macOS Sonoma, that enables an attacker to elevate privileges on affected devices. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation or improper security checks within the operating system’s privilege management mechanisms, classified under CWE-1325 (Improper Privilege Management). This flaw allows an attacker who has local access to the device to bypass normal privilege restrictions and gain higher-level permissions, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1 reflects a high-severity rating, with an attack vector limited to local access (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects components beyond the initially vulnerable scope, and it impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level (C:H/I:H/A:H). Apple has addressed this issue by implementing improved security checks in iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.5. No public exploits or active exploitation in the wild have been reported to date. The vulnerability’s exploitation requires an attacker to have physical or local access to the device, and the complexity of the attack is high, reducing the likelihood of widespread exploitation but still posing a serious risk to targeted environments.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-27796 can be significant, especially in sectors where Apple devices are prevalent, such as finance, government, healthcare, and technology. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized administrative control over iOS, iPadOS, or macOS devices, leading to data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, or disruption of critical services. The compromise of mobile devices could facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks, exposing sensitive information and intellectual property. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations could face regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is compromised. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but raises concerns about insider threats or physical device theft scenarios. 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 strategies: 1) Prioritize immediate deployment of Apple’s security updates iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.5 across all managed devices to remediate the vulnerability. 2) Enforce strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access to devices, including secure storage and device access policies. 3) Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to ensure timely patch management and compliance reporting. 4) Restrict use of devices in high-risk environments and limit administrative privileges to trusted personnel only. 5) Monitor device logs and behavior for signs of privilege escalation attempts or unusual activity. 6) Educate employees about the risks of device theft and the importance of reporting lost or stolen devices immediately. 7) Consider implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of detecting suspicious privilege escalation behaviors on Apple platforms. These measures go beyond generic patching by focusing on access control, monitoring, and rapid incident response.