CVE-2024-40838 is a privacy vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, specifically addressed in the latest macOS Sequoia 15 release. The root cause is that sensitive notification data was previously stored in a location accessible to applications without sufficient protection. This allowed a malicious app, once installed and executed by the user, to access notifications from the device, potentially exposing private information contained within those notifications. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity level. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact affects confidentiality only (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time. Apple mitigated the issue by relocating sensitive notification data to a protected storage area in macOS Sequoia 15, preventing unauthorized access by malicious applications. This vulnerability primarily threatens user privacy by exposing notification content, which may include sensitive personal or corporate information. The affected versions are unspecified but presumably all macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15. Organizations relying on macOS devices should prioritize patching to the latest OS version to eliminate this risk.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-40838 is the potential exposure of sensitive notification content to malicious local applications. This could lead to leakage of confidential information such as emails, messages, calendar events, or other notification data that may contain business-sensitive or personal data. Although the vulnerability does not allow modification or disruption of system operations, the confidentiality breach could facilitate further social engineering or targeted attacks. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits the attack surface, but insider threats or users inadvertently installing malicious apps remain a concern. Organizations with macOS endpoints in sectors handling sensitive data—such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government—may face increased privacy risks. Additionally, remote work environments where users install third-party software without strict controls could be vulnerable. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability should be addressed promptly to maintain compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR, which emphasize safeguarding personal data confidentiality.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Sequoia 15 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed by relocating sensitive notification data to a protected area. 2. Implement strict application whitelisting and restrict installation of untrusted or unsigned applications to reduce the risk of malicious apps gaining local access. 3. Educate users on the risks of installing unknown software and the importance of verifying app sources. 4. Employ endpoint security solutions capable of detecting and blocking suspicious local applications that attempt to access notification data. 5. Regularly audit installed applications and monitor for anomalous behaviors related to notification access. 6. Enforce least privilege principles and limit user permissions to reduce the potential impact of malicious apps. 7. For organizations with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, ensure compliance with security standards and consider mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce OS updates and app controls. 8. Maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly address any privacy breaches stemming from notification data exposure.