CVE-2024-40795: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-40795 Overview

CVE-2024-40795 is a data protection vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems that allows a malicious application to read sensitive location information. The vulnerability stems from insufficient data protection mechanisms in the affected Apple platforms, enabling unauthorized access to location data that should be restricted from third-party applications.

Critical Impact

A malicious app installed on an affected device may be able to access sensitive location information without proper authorization, potentially compromising user privacy and enabling location tracking.

Affected Products

• Apple iOS 17.x (prior to 17.6)
• Apple iPadOS 17.x (prior to 17.6)
• Apple macOS Sonoma 14.x (prior to 14.6)
• Apple tvOS 17.x (prior to 17.6)
• Apple watchOS 10.x (prior to 10.6)

Discovery Timeline

• July 29, 2024 - CVE-2024-40795 published to NVD
• November 4, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-40795

Vulnerability Analysis

This information disclosure vulnerability exists in Apple's data protection subsystem across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS platforms. The flaw allows applications to bypass intended access controls and read sensitive location information that should be protected from unauthorized access.

The vulnerability requires local access, meaning an attacker would need to have a malicious application installed on the target device. While this presents a barrier to exploitation, the widespread use of Apple devices and the potential for malicious apps to slip through app review processes makes this a noteworthy privacy concern.

Location data exposure can have significant privacy implications, potentially enabling stalking, tracking of sensitive movement patterns, or profiling of user behavior. In enterprise environments, this could expose sensitive facility locations or travel patterns of key personnel.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-40795 is inadequate data protection mechanisms for location-related information within Apple's operating systems. The vulnerability indicates that certain location data was not properly protected with the appropriate access controls, allowing applications without location permissions to potentially access this sensitive information through alternative code paths.

Apple addressed this issue by implementing improved data protection mechanisms to ensure that location information is properly secured and only accessible to applications with explicit user-granted permissions.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-40795 requires local access to the target device. An attacker would need to create and distribute a malicious application that exploits this vulnerability. Once installed on a victim's device, the malicious app could read sensitive location information without requiring location services permissions.

The attack does not require any user interaction beyond the initial installation of the malicious application. The vulnerability can be exploited by any app running with low privileges, making it accessible to a wide range of potential threat actors.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-40795

Indicators of Compromise

• Applications accessing location data without having been granted location permissions in system settings
• Unusual location-related API calls from applications that have no legitimate need for location access
• Unexpected data exfiltration patterns involving location coordinates or geographic identifiers

Detection Strategies

• Monitor installed applications for suspicious behavior related to location data access
• Review application permissions and identify apps accessing location data without explicit grants
• Implement mobile device management (MDM) solutions to track application behavior and enforce security policies
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring application-level data access patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging on Apple devices through MDM solutions where available
• Monitor for applications attempting to access protected system resources without proper entitlements
• Regularly audit installed applications across managed device fleets for unauthorized or suspicious apps

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-40795

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all Apple devices to the patched versions: iOS 17.6, iPadOS 17.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, tvOS 17.6, and watchOS 10.6
• Remove any untrusted or suspicious applications from affected devices
• Review and audit applications currently installed on managed devices
• Enable automatic updates to ensure future security patches are applied promptly

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates that address this vulnerability with improved data protection mechanisms. The following updates should be applied:

For detailed information, refer to Apple's security advisories: Apple Support Article HT214117, Apple Support Article HT214119, Apple Support Article HT214122, and Apple Support Article HT214124.

Workarounds

• Restrict app installations to only trusted sources and thoroughly vetted applications
• Use MDM solutions to enforce application whitelisting on managed devices
• Disable location services for applications that do not have a legitimate need for location access
• Monitor device behavior for suspicious location-related activity until patches can be applied

# Check current iOS/iPadOS version via command line (macOS with connected device)
ideviceinfo -k ProductVersion

# Verify macOS version
sw_vers -productVersion

# For enterprise environments, use MDM to enforce minimum OS versions
# Example: Jamf Pro policy to require iOS 17.6 or later