CVE-2024-44122 is a logic vulnerability in Apple macOS sandbox enforcement that allows an application to escape its sandbox constraints. The sandbox is a critical security mechanism designed to isolate applications and limit their access to system resources, thereby preventing malicious or compromised applications from affecting the broader system. This vulnerability arises from insufficient validation checks within the sandbox logic, categorized under CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure). An attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) but local access can exploit this flaw without requiring user interaction (UI:N), making it easier to leverage in automated or stealthy attacks. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H) and a scope change (S:C), indicating that the exploit can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. The affected macOS versions are those prior to Ventura 13.7.1, Sequoia 15, and Sonoma 14.7.1, where Apple has implemented improved checks to fix the issue. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the nature of the vulnerability suggests it could be used to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or system functions. This makes it particularly dangerous in environments where macOS is used for critical business operations or sensitive data processing.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-44122 is significant due to the potential for sandbox escape leading to privilege escalation. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive information, modification or deletion of critical data, and disruption of system availability. Organizations in finance, healthcare, government, and technology sectors that rely on macOS for endpoint devices or servers are at heightened risk. The ability to break out of the sandbox undermines the fundamental security boundary designed to contain application behavior, increasing the risk of lateral movement within networks and persistent compromise. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, exploitation could lead to data breaches, intellectual property theft, and operational downtime. The lack of required user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation once an attacker gains limited access, increasing the threat level in environments with shared or multi-user systems. Additionally, regulatory compliance frameworks in Europe, such as GDPR, impose strict requirements on data protection, and exploitation of this vulnerability could result in significant legal and financial repercussions.

1. Immediately update all macOS systems to the latest patched versions: Ventura 13.7.1, Sequoia 15, or Sonoma 14.7.1, as these contain the fix for CVE-2024-44122. 2. Implement strict application whitelisting and sandboxing policies to limit the execution of untrusted or unnecessary applications. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for unusual privilege escalation or sandbox escape behaviors. 4. Restrict local user privileges to the minimum necessary, reducing the attack surface for local exploits. 5. Conduct regular audits of macOS endpoints to ensure compliance with security policies and patch levels. 6. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted software, even within sandboxed environments. 7. Monitor security advisories from Apple and threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploit reports related to this vulnerability. 8. Consider network segmentation to limit lateral movement if a device is compromised. 9. Use macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Full Disk Encryption to add layers of defense. 10. For high-security environments, consider additional runtime protections or virtualization-based sandboxing to mitigate potential escape attempts.