CVE-2024-40833

Vulnerability

CVE-2024-40833 is a logic issue in Apple's Shortcuts app that, before the fix, allowed a shortcut to use sensitive data with certain actions without prompting the user. Apple addressed the issue in iOS 16.7.9, iPadOS 16.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, and macOS Ventura 13.6.8 by improving checks [Description].

Exploitation

A malicious shortcut—likely installed via social engineering or from untrusted sources—could exploit this flaw to access sensitive data that normally requires user consent. The vulnerability bypasses the expected privacy prompt, meaning data could be exfiltrated without the user's knowledge [Description].

Impact

A successful exploit allows a shortcut to access private information, such as contacts or other sensitive data, without user interaction. The impact is rated Medium (CVSS 5.5) because it requires local access and the user to run the shortcut, but the bypass of privacy controls increases its severity [1][2][3].

Mitigation

Apple released fixes for all affected platforms on July 29, 2024. Users should update to the latest OS versions. No workaround is available; full mitigation requires applying the security patches [1][2][3][4].