CVE-2024-44293 is a privacy vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, where insufficient redaction of private data in system log entries allows a user with limited privileges to view sensitive information belonging to other users. The vulnerability stems from inadequate filtering or masking of sensitive fields in logs, potentially exposing confidential data such as user credentials, personal identifiers, or other private details. This issue was addressed by Apple in macOS Sequoia 15.1 through enhanced private data redaction mechanisms that sanitize log entries more effectively before they are accessible to non-privileged users. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is local (AV:L), requires low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N) is needed. The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-352, which generally relates to cross-site request forgery (CSRF), but here it may indicate a broader classification of improper access control or insufficient data protection. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the presence of sensitive data exposure in logs could facilitate further attacks or privacy violations if leveraged by malicious insiders or compromised accounts. Organizations running macOS should review their logging policies and ensure systems are updated to the patched version to mitigate this risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user information, which can lead to privacy breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and potential reputational damage. Organizations in sectors handling sensitive personal or financial data—such as finance, healthcare, and government—are particularly at risk. Since the vulnerability requires local access with low privileges, insider threats or attackers who gain limited user accounts could exploit this to escalate information gathering. The confidentiality impact is high, but since integrity and availability are unaffected, the threat is primarily data leakage rather than system disruption. Failure to patch could expose organizations to data privacy investigations and fines under European data protection laws. Additionally, leaked sensitive information could be used for social engineering or lateral movement within networks.

1. Upgrade all macOS systems to macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed with improved private data redaction in logs. 2. Restrict local user access rights to the minimum necessary, employing the principle of least privilege to reduce the risk of exploitation by low-privileged users. 3. Audit and monitor access to system logs, ensuring that only authorized personnel can view sensitive log entries. 4. Implement additional log management controls such as encryption and access logging to detect unauthorized access attempts. 5. Educate users and administrators about the risks of local privilege misuse and enforce strong endpoint security controls to prevent unauthorized local access. 6. Regularly review and sanitize logs to remove or mask sensitive information proactively. 7. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for suspicious local activities that could indicate attempts to exploit this vulnerability.