CVE-2024-40824 is a vulnerability in Apple’s iOS and iPadOS operating systems that allows an application to bypass the Privacy preferences set by the user. Privacy preferences in Apple devices control access to sensitive data and system resources, such as location, contacts, photos, microphone, and camera. The vulnerability arises from improper state management within the OS, which can be exploited by an app to circumvent these restrictions without requiring any privileges or user interaction. This means a malicious app could access or manipulate sensitive user data or system functions that should be protected by privacy settings. The issue affects multiple Apple platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS Sonoma, and tvOS, and is fixed in the 17.6 and 10.6 versions of these OSes respectively. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.7 reflects a high-severity rating, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high confidentiality and integrity impacts (C:H/I:H), but no impact on availability (A:N). No known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk if exploited, especially in environments where sensitive data confidentiality and integrity are critical.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information accessed or stored on Apple devices. Organizations relying on iOS and iPadOS devices for communication, data storage, or operational control could face unauthorized data access or manipulation if a malicious app exploits this flaw. This could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, or compromise of personal data protected under GDPR. The lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the threat level. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, which often use Apple devices, are particularly vulnerable. Additionally, the potential bypass of privacy controls undermines user trust and compliance with privacy regulations. Although no active exploits are known, the vulnerability’s presence in widely used devices necessitates urgent remediation to avoid future targeted attacks.

European organizations should immediately prioritize updating all affected Apple devices to the patched versions: iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, watchOS 10.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, and tvOS 17.6. Enforce strict mobile device management (MDM) policies to control app installations, limiting them to trusted sources such as the Apple App Store and verified enterprise apps. Implement application whitelisting and continuous monitoring for anomalous app behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted apps and the importance of timely OS updates. Conduct regular audits of device privacy settings and access logs to detect unauthorized access. For high-risk environments, consider additional endpoint protection solutions that can detect or block attempts to exploit privacy bypass vulnerabilities. Finally, maintain an incident response plan tailored to mobile device threats to rapidly address any exploitation attempts.