CVE-2025-24114 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2025
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions flaw in apple's macOS operating system that allows malicious applications to bypass intended security controls and modify protected file system components. The issue stems from insufficient access controls that fail to properly enforce system integrity protections, creating an avenue for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of macos including the latest releases of sequoia 15.3, sonoma 14.7.3, and ventura 13.7.3, indicating a widespread impact across the operating system's ecosystem. The flaw specifically enables an application to access and modify protected areas of the file system that should normally be restricted to system processes or administrators only. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can potentially allow attackers to compromise system integrity by modifying critical system files, binaries, or configuration data that maintain the operating system's security posture.
The technical nature of this permissions issue can be classified under common weakness enumeration category 269, which deals with improper privilege management within software systems. This vulnerability allows for unauthorized modification of protected system resources, effectively undermining the operating system's mandatory access controls and discretionary access controls that are fundamental to maintaining system security. The flaw operates at the kernel level or deep system services where file system access controls are enforced, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass user-space security mechanisms that applications typically rely upon for protection. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to modify system executables, alter security policies, or inject malicious code into protected system components, thereby creating persistent backdoors or compromising the integrity of the entire operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file modifications and can lead to significant system compromise scenarios. An attacker who successfully exploits this permissions flaw could potentially install rootkits, modify system libraries, or corrupt critical system files that would otherwise remain protected. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could allow attackers to maintain access to compromised systems while evading detection mechanisms that rely on system file integrity checks. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where macos systems may be running critical business applications and where maintaining system integrity is paramount for security compliance. The issue also has implications for zero-day exploitation scenarios, as attackers could leverage this flaw to establish initial access or escalate privileges within targeted environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system updates to the patched versions of macos mentioned in the advisory, which contain the necessary restrictions to prevent unauthorized access to protected file system components. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all macos systems are updated promptly and regularly, as this vulnerability could be exploited by attackers who discover and weaponize the flaw before organizations apply patches. System administrators should also conduct thorough security assessments of their macos environments to identify any potential exploitation attempts or unauthorized modifications that may have occurred prior to patch deployment. Additional monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual file system modifications or access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around system directories and protected files. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security monitoring tools and implementing behavioral analysis capabilities that can detect anomalous system access patterns that deviate from normal operational baselines. Network segmentation and application whitelisting policies can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts.