CVE-2025-11921 in iStats
Summary
by MITRE • 11/24/2025
iStats contains an insecure XPC service that allows local, unprivileged users to escalate their privileges to root via command injection.This issue affects iStats: 7.10.4.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-11921 resides within the iStats application version 7.10.4, specifically targeting an insecure XPC service implementation that creates a critical privilege escalation vector. XPC services represent Apple's inter-process communication mechanism designed for secure communication between applications and system services, but when improperly configured they can become attack surfaces for malicious exploitation. This particular flaw allows unprivileged local users to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges, fundamentally undermining the system's security model and user isolation principles.
The technical flaw manifests through improper input validation and sanitization within the XPC service communication channel. When the iStats application processes incoming XPC messages, it fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied parameters before executing system commands. This command injection vulnerability occurs because the application directly incorporates user-provided data into system execution contexts without adequate security controls. The flaw aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection and code injection vulnerabilities respectively, where attacker-controlled data flows into executable code paths. The XPC service architecture, while designed for secure communication, becomes compromised when the receiving service does not properly validate the integrity and content of incoming messages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating a persistent security risk that could enable attackers to gain full system control. Local unprivileged users can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, potentially allowing them to modify system files, install malware, establish persistent backdoors, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The attack vector requires only local system access and does not necessitate network connectivity or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users may have varying privilege levels. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can be exploited to bypass security controls that rely on proper privilege separation, potentially affecting system integrity, confidentiality, and availability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-11921 should focus on immediate patching of the iStats application to version 7.10.5 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement monitoring for suspicious XPC service activity and consider restricting access to the iStats application through access control lists or application whitelisting policies. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices, particularly when dealing with inter-process communication mechanisms. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of all applications utilizing XPC services and ensure proper privilege separation. This issue also highlights the need for regular security updates and vulnerability management processes to prevent exploitation of known security flaws. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically T1068, and potentially T1543 for execution through legitimate system tools, emphasizing the need for comprehensive endpoint protection measures.