CVE-2024-40788 is a vulnerability classified as a type confusion flaw (CWE-843) affecting Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, and other related operating systems including macOS Ventura, Monterey, Sonoma, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. The issue arises from improper memory handling that leads to type confusion, which can be exploited by a local attacker to trigger unexpected system shutdowns. This vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction to exploit, making it easier for an attacker with local access to cause denial of service conditions. The flaw impacts system availability but does not affect confidentiality or integrity of data. Apple has addressed this vulnerability in multiple updates, including iOS 16.7.9, iOS 17.6, and corresponding patches for other OS versions. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported so far. The vulnerability’s CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.2, reflecting a medium severity level due to the local attack vector and lack of privilege requirements, but limited to availability impact. The root cause is a type confusion error, which is a common memory safety issue where the program misinterprets the type of an object, leading to unpredictable behavior such as crashes or shutdowns. This vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious insiders or attackers who gain local access to devices to disrupt operations by forcing system reboots or shutdowns.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-40788 is on system availability. Unexpected shutdowns of iOS and iPadOS devices can disrupt business operations, especially in environments relying heavily on Apple mobile devices for communication, fieldwork, or critical applications. This could affect sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure where device uptime is crucial. Although the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, repeated or targeted shutdowns could lead to denial of service conditions, loss of productivity, and potential operational delays. Organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or those that allow local access to untrusted users may face higher risk. The lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation by insiders or attackers with physical or local access. However, the absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk. Still, unpatched devices remain vulnerable to potential future exploitation, which could be leveraged in targeted attacks or sabotage.

To mitigate CVE-2024-40788, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Deploy the latest Apple security updates promptly across all affected devices, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS versions listed by Apple. 2) Enforce strict local access controls to limit device access to trusted personnel only, reducing the risk of local exploitation. 3) Implement mobile device management (MDM) solutions to ensure devices are updated and monitored for unusual shutdown patterns. 4) Educate users about the risks of granting local access to unknown individuals and the importance of applying updates. 5) For critical environments, consider additional endpoint protection measures that can detect abnormal system behavior or forced shutdown attempts. 6) Regularly audit device inventories to identify unpatched or vulnerable devices and remediate accordingly. 7) In sensitive contexts, restrict physical access to devices and consider disabling unnecessary local interfaces that could be exploited. These measures go beyond generic patching by emphasizing access control, monitoring, and user awareness tailored to the local attack vector nature of this vulnerability.