CVE-2025-24261

What the vulnerability is

CVE-2025-24261 is a security issue in macOS that allows an application to modify protected parts of the file system. The problem was addressed with improved checks, as described in the official advisory [1]. The vulnerability affects macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, and macOS Ventura 13.7.5 [1][2][3].

Exploitation method

The attack surface involves a local app—no network access is required, but the attacker must have the ability to execute code on the target system. Apple’s description does not specify additional authentication requirements beyond standard macOS app permissions. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond the initial launch of the malicious app. This bug is distinct from other issues listed in the same advisories, such as CVE-2025-24202 (a logging issue affecting sensitive data) and CVE-2025-24234 (a root privilege escalation) [1][2][3].

Impact

If exploited, an attacker could modify parts of the file system that are normally protected by System Integrity Protection (SIP) or other restrictions. This could lead to data corruption, installation of persistent malware, or bypass of security mechanisms. The severity is rated Medium with a CVSS v3 score of 5.5, indicating a meaningful but not critical risk.

Mitigation

Apple has released patches in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, and macOS Ventura 13.7.5. Users should update to these versions to mitigate the issue. There is no indication of this CVE being listed on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog as of the publication date.