CVE-2024-44216 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that stems from insufficient sandbox restrictions, allowing an application to access user-sensitive data without proper authorization. The sandbox is a security mechanism designed to isolate applications and restrict their access to system resources and user data. In this case, the sandbox restrictions were inadequate, enabling potentially malicious or compromised apps to bypass these controls and extract sensitive information from the user environment. Apple addressed this issue by enhancing sandbox restrictions in macOS Ventura 13.7.1 and macOS Sonoma 14.7.1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-922, which relates to improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a sandbox. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.2, indicating a medium severity level. The vector indicates that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts confidentiality (C:H) but not integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). There are no known exploits in the wild, and the affected versions are unspecified but presumably all versions prior to the patched releases. This vulnerability primarily threatens the confidentiality of user data by allowing unauthorized access through sandbox escape or bypass techniques. Since exploitation does not require user interaction or elevated privileges, any app running on the system could potentially exploit this flaw if it can execute code locally. The fix involves applying the updated macOS versions that implement stricter sandbox policies to prevent unauthorized data access.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. Organizations with employees or systems running vulnerable macOS versions could see data leakage if malicious applications are installed or if attackers gain local access to endpoints. The impact is particularly relevant for sectors handling sensitive personal or corporate information, such as finance, healthcare, and government. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, the primary concern is confidentiality breaches that could lead to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), and reputational damage. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or malware delivered via social engineering could leverage this vulnerability. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks. Organizations relying heavily on macOS devices should prioritize patching to mitigate this risk and prevent data exposure incidents.

1. Immediately update all macOS devices to Ventura 13.7.1 or Sonoma 14.7.1 or later to apply the patch that strengthens sandbox restrictions. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted applications to run on corporate macOS endpoints. 3. Utilize endpoint protection solutions capable of monitoring and restricting application behaviors that attempt to access sensitive data outside their sandbox. 4. Implement least privilege principles to limit local user access and reduce the likelihood of malicious app installation or execution. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and system logs to detect unusual access patterns or sandbox escape attempts. 6. Educate users on the risks of installing untrusted software and the importance of applying system updates promptly. 7. For sensitive environments, consider additional sandboxing or containerization technologies to isolate critical applications further. 8. Monitor threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploits targeting this vulnerability to respond rapidly if exploitation attempts are detected.