CVE-2025-31207 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 05/13/2025
A logic issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5. An app may be able to enumerate a user's installed apps.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-31207 represents a logic flaw in apple's ios and ipados operating systems that enables unauthorized enumeration of installed applications on affected devices. This issue specifically affects versions prior to ios 18.5 and ipados 18.5, where the operating system failed to properly enforce access controls for application enumeration capabilities. The flaw allows malicious applications to potentially discover what other applications are installed on a device, creating an information disclosure risk that could be exploited for further attacks. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper access control as defined by common weakness enumeration cwe-284, where an application fails to properly restrict access to resources or information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the operating system's application management interfaces. When applications attempt to query or access information about other installed applications, the system should enforce strict permission checks to prevent unauthorized access. However, in the affected versions, these checks were inadequate, allowing an app to bypass normal access controls and obtain a list of installed applications. The root cause likely involves improper validation of application permissions or missing security boundaries between different application contexts. This behavior aligns with attack techniques described in the attack tree framework where adversaries can escalate privileges or gather intelligence through information enumeration attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as application enumeration can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could use the discovered application information to craft targeted attacks against specific applications, identify potential attack vectors, or perform reconnaissance for privilege escalation attempts. The ability to enumerate installed applications provides attackers with valuable intelligence about the target environment, including potential vulnerabilities in specific applications, user behavior patterns, and system configurations. This information could be leveraged in conjunction with other attack vectors to create more effective social engineering campaigns or targeted exploit delivery mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-31207 primarily involve updating to the patched versions of ios 18.5 and ipados 18.5, which contain improved access controls and validation mechanisms for application enumeration. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected devices to eliminate the risk of exploitation. Additionally, security administrators should implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior that might indicate attempts to enumerate installed applications. The fix addresses the underlying logic issue by strengthening permission checks and ensuring that applications cannot bypass normal access controls when requesting information about other installed applications. This remediation aligns with security best practices for access control and privilege management as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including nist 800-53 and iso 27001 standards, which emphasize the importance of proper access control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized information disclosure.