CVE-2024-40828 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows a malicious application to gain root privileges without requiring user interaction or prior authentication. The root cause is insufficient privilege checks within the operating system, classified under CWE-281 (Improper Privilege Management). This vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions, including Sonoma, Monterey, and Ventura, prior to their respective patched releases (Sonoma 14.6, Monterey 12.7.6, Ventura 13.6.8). The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.4, indicating high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker with local access can fully compromise the system by escalating privileges to root, potentially leading to complete system takeover, data theft, or disruption of services. Apple has fixed the issue by implementing improved privilege checks to prevent unauthorized root escalation. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported yet, but the vulnerability’s characteristics make it a critical risk if weaponized. The vulnerability primarily affects local users or attackers who have gained limited access to a system, emphasizing the need for strict local access controls and timely patching.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-40828 is significant due to the potential for complete system compromise on affected macOS devices. Organizations relying on macOS for critical operations, including government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and technology companies, face risks of data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and disruption of services. The ability for a malicious app to gain root privileges without user interaction increases the threat surface, especially in environments where users may install software from less trusted sources or where endpoint security controls are insufficient. This vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement within networks, enabling attackers to escalate privileges and compromise additional systems. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of organizational data and services could be severely impacted, leading to regulatory compliance issues under GDPR and other European data protection laws. Additionally, the risk of espionage or sabotage is heightened in sectors of strategic importance. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score underscores the urgency of patch deployment.

1. Immediately apply the security updates released by Apple for macOS Sonoma 14.6, Monterey 12.7.6, and Ventura 13.6.8 to all affected systems. 2. Enforce strict application whitelisting policies to prevent installation or execution of unauthorized or untrusted applications, reducing the risk of malicious apps gaining local access. 3. Limit local user privileges and restrict administrative rights to only essential personnel to minimize the attack surface for privilege escalation. 4. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for suspicious local privilege escalation attempts and anomalous behavior indicative of root access abuse. 5. Educate users on the risks of installing software from unverified sources and encourage adherence to organizational software installation policies. 6. Regularly audit macOS systems for compliance with security baselines and promptly remediate any deviations. 7. Consider network segmentation to isolate macOS devices handling sensitive data, limiting potential lateral movement in case of compromise. 8. Monitor security advisories and threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploits targeting this vulnerability to enable rapid response.