CVE-2025-55076 in Installation Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 12/03/2025
A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the InstallationHelper service included with Plugin Alliance Installation Manager v1.4.0 for macOS. The service accepts unauthenticated XPC connections and executes input via system(), which may allow a local user to execute arbitrary commands with root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-55076 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw within the Plugin Alliance Installation Manager v1.4.0 for macOS systems. This issue resides in the InstallationHelper service component that is part of the broader installation framework. The flaw stems from improper access control mechanisms within the XPC service architecture, where the service fails to validate incoming connections or authenticate requesting processes before processing commands. The vulnerability manifests through the service's reliance on system() function calls without adequate input sanitization or privilege separation, creating an avenue for malicious code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability leverages the inherent trust model of macOS XPC services, where the InstallationHelper service operates with elevated privileges but fails to enforce proper authentication mechanisms. When the service receives XPC connections, it processes incoming data directly through system() calls without validating the source or sanitizing the input parameters. This design flaw enables a local attacker to establish an XPC connection to the service and inject arbitrary commands that execute with root privileges. The absence of input validation creates a command injection vector that bypasses normal privilege boundaries, allowing unauthenticated users to escalate their privileges to the root level.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to macOS systems running Plugin Alliance Installation Manager v1.4.0, as it requires no special privileges to exploit and can be leveraged by any local user to gain administrative control over the affected system. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially enable full system compromise through the execution of arbitrary code with root privileges. Attackers could utilize this vulnerability to install persistent backdoors, modify system files, access sensitive data, or establish covert communication channels. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates silently without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges, making detection and prevention challenging.
The weakness aligns with CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Command Execution and CWE-284 Improper Access Control within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. This vulnerability also maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including T1068, T1548, and T1059, which cover local privilege escalation, abuse of system privileges, and command and scripting interpreter execution. The exploitability of this vulnerability is enhanced by the fact that it operates at the service level, requiring minimal attack surface and providing a direct path to root access. Organizations should consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions to detect suspicious XPC communications and command execution patterns.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate service patching or disabling of the vulnerable InstallationHelper service until a security update is applied. System administrators should also implement process monitoring to detect unauthorized XPC connections to the service, and consider restricting access to the InstallationHelper service through firewall rules or access control lists. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that no unauthorized modifications exist in the Plugin Alliance installation directory and that proper file permissions are maintained on system components. The recommended approach includes disabling the vulnerable service entirely while awaiting official patches from Plugin Alliance, as the vulnerability cannot be effectively mitigated through configuration changes alone.