CVE-2025-24263: Apple macOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-24263 Overview

CVE-2025-24263 is a privacy vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows applications to observe unprotected user data. The issue stems from sensitive data being stored in an unprotected location, enabling malicious or unauthorized applications to access private user information without proper authorization. Apple addressed this vulnerability by relocating sensitive data to a protected location in macOS Sequoia 15.4.

Critical Impact

Applications running on affected macOS versions can observe and access sensitive user data that should be protected, potentially leading to privacy breaches and unauthorized information disclosure.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS (versions prior to macOS Sequoia 15.4)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-31 - CVE-2025-24263 published to NVD
• 2025-11-07 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24263

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The core issue involves improper protection of sensitive user data within the macOS operating system. Applications can access user data that should be restricted, bypassing the expected privacy controls implemented by the operating system.

The vulnerability allows any application running on an affected macOS system to observe data that users would reasonably expect to be protected from unauthorized access. This type of information exposure can have serious privacy implications, as it may reveal personal information, user activities, or other sensitive details that should remain confidential.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the improper storage of sensitive user data in an unprotected location within macOS. Prior to the fix, certain sensitive data was not adequately protected by the operating system's security mechanisms, making it accessible to applications that should not have permission to view it. Apple's fix involved relocating this data to a properly protected location with appropriate access controls.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-24263 is network-based according to the CVSS classification. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by deploying a malicious application on a target macOS system. Once installed and running, the application could observe unprotected user data without requiring elevated privileges or user interaction.

The exploitation scenario involves:

1. A malicious application is installed on the target macOS system
2. The application accesses the unprotected data location
3. Sensitive user information is exposed to the unauthorized application
4. The attacker can collect and exfiltrate the observed data

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Apple Security Advisory and the Full Disclosure Mailing List Post.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24263

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual application access patterns to system data locations that should be protected
• Applications querying or reading sensitive user data directories without legitimate business need
• Unexpected outbound network connections from applications that may be exfiltrating observed data

Detection Strategies

• Monitor application behavior for unauthorized access to user data directories
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify applications accessing sensitive data locations
• Review application permissions and sandbox configurations to identify potential data exposure
• Deploy behavior-based detection to identify applications exhibiting reconnaissance activities

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive audit logging on macOS systems to track file and directory access
• Monitor for applications accessing user data outside their expected operational scope
• Implement network monitoring to detect potential data exfiltration from compromised systems
• Regularly review installed applications and their permissions on enterprise macOS devices

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24263

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all affected macOS systems to macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later immediately
• Audit installed applications for potentially malicious software that may exploit this vulnerability
• Review application permissions and remove unnecessary access rights
• Consider implementing application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized software execution

Patch Information

Apple has addressed this vulnerability in macOS Sequoia 15.4. The fix involves moving sensitive data to a protected location where unauthorized applications cannot access it. Organizations should prioritize deploying this update across all managed macOS devices.

For complete patch details, refer to the Apple Support Article.

Workarounds

• Restrict installation of third-party applications to trusted sources only (Mac App Store or identified developers)
• Implement strict application control policies using MDM solutions
• Enable Gatekeeper and other macOS security features to prevent unauthorized application execution
• Monitor and audit application behavior on sensitive systems until patches can be applied

# Check current macOS version
sw_vers

# Enable Gatekeeper (if disabled)
sudo spctl --master-enable

# View applications with Full Disk Access
# Navigate to: System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access