CVE-2024-23215: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-23215 Overview

CVE-2024-23215 affects multiple Apple operating systems through improper handling of temporary files. A malicious app installed on a vulnerable device may access user-sensitive data that should remain isolated from third-party applications. Apple resolved the issue across its product lines with iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS Sonoma 14.3, tvOS 17.3, and watchOS 10.3.

The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, which limits remote exploitation. However, the confidentiality impact is high because an attacker app can read protected user data stored in temporary file locations.

Critical Impact
An application running on an affected Apple device can read user-sensitive data through insecure temporary file handling, breaking the application sandbox confidentiality boundary.

Affected Products

Apple iOS and iPadOS prior to 17.3
Apple macOS Sonoma prior to 14.3
Apple tvOS prior to 17.3 and watchOS prior to 10.3

Discovery Timeline

2024-01-23 - CVE-2024-23215 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-04-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-23215

Vulnerability Analysis

The issue is an information disclosure flaw caused by insecure temporary file handling within Apple operating systems. Apple categorized the root cause as a temporary file handling weakness and addressed it with improved handling logic. The CWE classification is recorded as NVD-CWE-noinfo because Apple did not publicly disclose component-level technical details.

Exploitation requires a locally installed application on the target device. The attacking app reads data written to a temporary file location that should be inaccessible across application boundaries. Successful exploitation breaks the expected sandbox isolation for user data such as cached content, intermediate processing artifacts, or files generated by other applications.

The attack does not yield code execution, integrity loss, or denial of service. The exposure is limited to confidentiality of user-sensitive data accessible to a process running with normal application privileges.

Root Cause

The vulnerability stems from improper handling of temporary files created or accessed by system or application components. Insecure file paths, predictable names, or insufficient permission enforcement allowed a separate process to read data it should not access. Apple's fix introduces improved handling that constrains access to the legitimate consumer of the temporary data.

Attack Vector

An attacker first delivers a malicious application to the target device through App Store distribution, sideloading, or supply-chain compromise of a legitimate app. The application then reads the temporary file artifacts containing sensitive user data. User interaction is required to install or run the malicious app, but no elevated privileges are needed once the app is active.

No verified public exploit code is available for CVE-2024-23215. The vulnerability mechanism involves a malicious app enumerating predictable temporary file paths and reading their contents during a race window before the legitimate owner consumes or deletes them. See the Apple Support Advisory #120304 for vendor-confirmed technical scope.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-23215

Indicators of Compromise

Installed applications performing unexpected reads against shared or temporary directories outside their sandbox container.
Anomalous file access patterns from third-party apps targeting paths used for inter-process data staging.
Devices running iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, or watchOS builds older than the January 2024 security update train.

Detection Strategies

Inventory Apple endpoints and flag any device below iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS Sonoma 14.3, tvOS 17.3, or watchOS 10.3.
On macOS, monitor Endpoint Security framework events (ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_OPEN) for cross-application reads of temporary file locations.
Correlate Mobile Device Management (MDM) compliance reports with the CVE-2024-23215 patch baseline to identify exposed assets.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward macOS unified log events and MDM telemetry to a central analytics platform for version and access-pattern correlation.
Alert on installation of unsigned or low-reputation applications that may attempt to harvest temporary file data.
Track Apple security advisory updates referenced in Apple Support KB #HT214059 and Apple Support KB #HT214061.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-23215

Immediate Actions Required

Update all Apple devices to iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS Sonoma 14.3, tvOS 17.3, or watchOS 10.3 or later.
Audit installed applications and remove those from untrusted publishers or sideloaded sources.
Enforce update compliance through MDM policies and block enrollment of devices below the patched OS baseline.

Patch Information

Apple released the fix in iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, macOS Sonoma 14.3, tvOS 17.3, and watchOS 10.3. Vendor patch details are documented in Apple Support Technical Note #HT214055, Apple Support Technical Note #HT214059, Apple Support Technical Note #HT214060, and Apple Support Technical Note #HT214061. Additional context is available in the Full Disclosure Security Post #33.

Workarounds

Restrict application installation to vetted App Store sources and disable sideloading where supported.
Apply MDM configuration profiles to block installation of unmanaged or unknown applications until devices are patched.
Educate users to avoid installing applications requesting unusual file access permissions on shared Apple devices.

bash

# Verify macOS build version meets the CVE-2024-23215 patch baseline
sw_vers -productVersion
# Expected output: 14.3 or later on macOS Sonoma

# Force MDM-managed update enforcement (example using softwareupdate)
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart