CVE-2025-30449 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. An app may be able to gain root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions flaw that allows malicious applications to escalate their privileges to root level access on affected macOS systems. The issue stems from insufficient access controls that permit unauthorized applications to bypass normal security boundaries and obtain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions including Ventura 13.7.5, Sequoia 15.4, and Sonoma 14.7.5, indicating a widespread impact across the operating system's ecosystem. The root privilege escalation capability poses significant security risks as it enables attackers to completely compromise system integrity and execute arbitrary code with the highest possible system permissions.
The technical nature of this flaw falls under permission and access control vulnerabilities, which aligns with CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control mechanisms in software systems. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when applications or processes fail to properly validate user permissions or when the operating system's privilege separation mechanisms contain implementation gaps. The vulnerability's classification as a permissions issue suggests that it likely involves insufficient input validation, improper privilege checking, or flawed security context management within the macOS kernel or system frameworks. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute malicious code with root privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise and persistent access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise capabilities. Once an application gains root access, it can modify system files, install persistent backdoors, access all user data, and manipulate system configurations without detection. This vulnerability creates an attack surface that allows adversaries to bypass standard security controls including system integrity protection, code signing requirements, and sandboxing mechanisms. The implications for enterprise environments are particularly severe as compromised systems can serve as launching points for lateral movement and broader network infiltration. Organizations running affected macOS versions face significant risk of data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, and potential compliance violations due to the elevated privileges that can be obtained through this flaw.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate deployment of the patched versions mentioned in the advisory including macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, and macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor for suspicious activities that may indicate compromise. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict application whitelisting policies, enabling system integrity protection, and maintaining robust endpoint detection and response capabilities. Organizations should also review and strengthen their overall security posture by ensuring proper patch management processes, conducting regular security audits, and implementing network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting T1068 which addresses exploit for privilege escalation, and T1548 which covers abuse of system permissions. Regular security monitoring and incident response procedures should be enhanced to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts that leverage this permissions flaw.