CVE-2024-54484 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, specifically resolved in the macOS Sequoia 15.2 update. The root cause stems from inadequate sanitization of logging mechanisms, which could allow a malicious or compromised application to access user-sensitive data inadvertently recorded or exposed through logs. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-281, indicating improper control of a resource through logging. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with an attack vector of local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). This means that while the vulnerability does not allow modification or disruption of system operations, it can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. Exploitation requires that an attacker has local access to the system and can trick the user into interacting with a malicious app. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to privacy and data security on affected macOS systems. The fix involves sanitizing logs to prevent leakage of sensitive data, which Apple implemented in the latest OS release.

For European organizations, the primary impact is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. This can lead to privacy violations, intellectual property exposure, and compliance issues with data protection regulations such as GDPR. Organizations with employees using macOS for handling confidential information, including government, finance, healthcare, and technology sectors, are at risk. Although the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or social engineering attacks could exploit this flaw. The lack of impact on integrity and availability limits the risk of system disruption or data tampering, but confidentiality breaches can still have severe reputational and legal consequences. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but should not lead to complacency, especially in environments with mixed OS usage and high-value targets.

1. Immediately update all macOS devices to macOS Sequoia 15.2 or later to apply the patch that sanitizes logging and closes the vulnerability. 2. Implement strict application whitelisting and endpoint protection to prevent unauthorized or untrusted applications from running locally. 3. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of cautious interaction with software prompts to reduce the chance of social engineering exploitation. 4. Monitor local system logs and application behavior for unusual access patterns or attempts to read sensitive data. 5. Employ data loss prevention (DLP) solutions that can detect and block unauthorized data access or exfiltration attempts on endpoints. 6. Restrict local user privileges where possible to limit the ability of applications to access sensitive data. 7. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments on macOS endpoints to ensure compliance and patch status.