CVE-2025-31279 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2025
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.6, iPadOS 17.7.9, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, macOS Ventura 13.7.7. An app may be able to fingerprint the user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2025
This vulnerability represents a significant permissions flaw that enables malicious applications to potentially identify and track users through fingerprinting techniques. The issue stems from insufficient access controls and security boundaries within the operating system's permission model, allowing unauthorized applications to gather identifying information about users. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple operating system versions including macOS Sequoia 15.6, iPadOS 17.7.9, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, and macOS Ventura 13.7.7, indicating a widespread impact across the Apple ecosystem. The core technical flaw lies in the inadequate restriction of system-level information access, which creates opportunities for apps to collect user-specific data that could be used for identification purposes. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1612 for "Run-time Application Masking" and T1083 for "File and Directory Discovery." The security implications extend beyond simple privacy concerns as this capability could enable sophisticated tracking mechanisms that bypass traditional privacy protections.
The operational impact of this vulnerability creates a persistent risk for user privacy and security across all affected platforms. Applications that exploit this permission issue can gather unique identifiers, device characteristics, and behavioral patterns that collectively form a comprehensive user fingerprint. This fingerprinting capability allows for persistent tracking across different applications and services, undermining the fundamental privacy protections that users expect from their operating systems. The vulnerability particularly affects user trust in the security model of Apple's platforms, as it demonstrates that even legitimate applications might be able to access information they should not reasonably be permitted to obtain. The issue becomes more concerning when considering that fingerprinting techniques can be combined with other data collection methods to create detailed user profiles that could be used for targeted advertising, surveillance, or even identity theft. The fact that this affects multiple versions of Apple's operating systems suggests that the underlying permission model has systemic weaknesses that require comprehensive remediation.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of the security updates provided by Apple for the affected versions. System administrators and users must ensure that all devices are updated to the patched versions of macOS Sequoia 15.6, iPadOS 17.7.9, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, and macOS Ventura 13.7.7. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing additional restrictions on system information access and strengthening the permission boundaries between applications and system resources. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any applications that might be exploiting this vulnerability before the updates are applied. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual application behavior that might indicate fingerprinting activities. Additionally, security teams should review application permissions and access controls to ensure that no applications have unnecessary access to user identification information. The remediation process should include verification that the updated systems properly enforce the new access restrictions and that existing applications continue to function correctly without compromising user privacy. This vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security monitoring and the need for robust permission management systems that prevent unauthorized access to user-specific information.