CVE-2024-44159 is a vulnerability in Apple macOS identified as a path deletion flaw that allows an application with limited privileges to bypass the system's Privacy preferences. Privacy preferences in macOS are designed to restrict app access to sensitive resources such as location data, contacts, camera, microphone, and other personal information. The vulnerability arises because certain code paths responsible for enforcing these privacy controls could be executed with elevated privileges, enabling an app to circumvent user consent mechanisms. Apple addressed this issue by modifying the system to prevent the vulnerable code from running with privileges that would allow such bypass. The vulnerability affects macOS versions prior to Ventura 13.7.1 and Sonoma 14.7.1, which include the fix. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.1, reflecting high severity due to the high impact on confidentiality and integrity, low attack complexity, and the requirement for low privileges but no user interaction. Exploiting this vulnerability could allow an attacker to access or manipulate sensitive user data without authorization, potentially leading to privacy violations or data leakage. Although no active exploits have been reported, the vulnerability poses a significant risk if leveraged by malicious local actors or malware. The vulnerability does not impact system availability. This flaw is particularly concerning for environments where macOS devices are used to handle sensitive or regulated data, as it undermines the trust model of user consent and privacy controls.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive personal or corporate data stored or processed on macOS devices. This is especially critical for industries such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government sectors that handle confidential information protected under regulations like GDPR. A successful exploit could result in data breaches, loss of data integrity, and potential regulatory penalties due to privacy violations. Since the vulnerability allows bypassing Privacy preferences, attackers could access protected resources such as contacts, location, or microphone without user consent, increasing the risk of espionage, intellectual property theft, or surveillance. The impact is heightened in organizations with a significant macOS user base or those relying on Apple devices for secure communications and data handling. Although exploitation requires local access with low privileges, insider threats or malware infections could leverage this flaw to escalate access to sensitive data. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, making timely patching essential to prevent future attacks.

European organizations should immediately deploy the security updates provided by Apple in macOS Ventura 13.7.1 and Sonoma 14.7.1 to remediate this vulnerability. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict endpoint security controls to limit local access to macOS devices, including the use of strong authentication mechanisms and role-based access controls. Monitoring and auditing macOS systems for unusual application behavior or unauthorized access attempts to privacy-protected resources can help detect exploitation attempts. Employ application whitelisting and restrict installation of untrusted software to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting this flaw. User education on the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of applying system updates promptly is also critical. For highly sensitive environments, consider implementing additional data loss prevention (DLP) solutions and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools tailored for macOS to identify and respond to suspicious activities. Regularly review privacy preference settings and system logs to ensure compliance and detect anomalies. Finally, maintain an inventory of macOS devices and ensure they are included in patch management and security monitoring programs.