CVE-2024-54463 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that permits applications to access removable volumes without obtaining user consent. The root cause lies in insufficient entitlement enforcement, which is a security mechanism designed to restrict app capabilities. Prior to macOS Sequoia 15, an app could bypass these restrictions and read data from external storage devices such as USB drives or external hard disks without prompting the user. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information) and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring the attacker to have local access to the system, and user interaction is necessary (UI:R), meaning the user must perform some action such as launching the app. No privileges are required (PR:N), so even unprivileged apps can exploit this flaw. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by exposing potentially sensitive data on removable media but does not affect integrity or availability. Apple addressed this issue by enhancing entitlement checks in macOS Sequoia 15, ensuring that apps cannot access removable volumes without explicit user approval. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, but the vulnerability poses a risk especially in environments where removable media contains sensitive information and where untrusted or malicious applications may be installed.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-54463 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data stored on removable volumes connected to macOS devices. Organizations that rely on removable media for data transfer or backup could face confidentiality breaches if malicious or compromised applications access these volumes without user consent. This risk is particularly significant in sectors handling sensitive or regulated data, such as finance, healthcare, government, and intellectual property-intensive industries. Although the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the exposure of confidential information could lead to data leakage, compliance violations, and reputational damage. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments where users may inadvertently run malicious software. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not preclude future exploitation attempts, especially as attackers develop techniques to leverage this vulnerability for data exfiltration.

To mitigate CVE-2024-54463, organizations should promptly upgrade all affected macOS systems to macOS Sequoia 15 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed through improved entitlement enforcement. Until upgrades are feasible, restrict the installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications, especially those that request access to removable media. Implement strict application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions that monitor and control app permissions related to external storage access. Educate users about the risks of running unknown applications and the importance of scrutinizing permission requests for removable volume access. Additionally, consider disabling or limiting the use of removable media on sensitive systems where possible, or employ encryption on removable drives to protect data confidentiality even if accessed without consent. Regularly audit system logs and application behaviors for unauthorized access attempts to removable volumes. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to address potential data exposure incidents.