CVE-2025-31270: Apple macOS Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2025-31270 Overview

CVE-2025-31270 is a permissions vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows a local application to access protected user data. Apple addressed the issue by applying additional restrictions in macOS Tahoe 26. The flaw is classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control and requires local access with user interaction to exploit.

Critical Impact
A malicious or compromised app running on an affected macOS system can bypass permissions checks and read protected user data, resulting in confidentiality loss without impacting integrity or availability.

Affected Products

Apple macOS versions prior to macOS Tahoe 26
Systems running third-party applications with elevated user-data access requests
macOS endpoints where Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) protected resources are present

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-15 - CVE-2025-31270 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2025-09-15 - Apple publishes advisory in Apple Security Support Article and macOS Tahoe 26 released with fix
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31270

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a permissions handling flaw in macOS that permits an application to reach user data intended to be protected by the operating system's access control mechanisms. Apple's advisory states the issue was resolved by adding additional restrictions on the affected code path. The bug maps to [CWE-284: Improper Access Control], indicating a gap between the enforcement layer and the resources it was expected to guard.

Exploitation requires local execution of an app and some user interaction. The impact is limited to confidentiality of user data; the vulnerability does not modify system integrity or degrade service availability. Consult the Full Disclosure Security Announcement for the vendor-published details tracked alongside this identifier.

Root Cause

The root cause is an insufficient permissions check in a macOS component that mediates access to protected user data. Access control decisions did not fully restrict the paths through which an app could reach that data. Apple's remediation adds restrictions to close the gap rather than restructuring the underlying mechanism.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local. An attacker must deliver and execute an application on the target macOS system, typically through user download, installation, or launch. Once running, the app queries or accesses resources that should be gated by macOS user-data protections. The vulnerability does not provide remote code execution or privilege escalation to root.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is available for CVE-2025-31270. Refer to the Apple Security Support Article for authoritative technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31270

Indicators of Compromise

Unsigned or newly installed applications requesting access to Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) protected resources such as Contacts, Calendar, Photos, or Documents
Unexpected reads of files under ~/Library/Application Support/ or other user-scoped protected paths by non-Apple processes
Applications launched from ~/Downloads or temporary directories accessing sensitive user data shortly after execution

Detection Strategies

Monitor macOS Endpoint Security framework events for file access to protected user directories by processes lacking corresponding TCC grants
Baseline application behavior and flag processes that access user-data locations outside their normal operating pattern
Correlate app installation events with subsequent access to sensitive resources within a short time window

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable and forward unified log telemetry for TCC, sandboxd, and Endpoint Security subsystems to a centralized analytics platform
Track macOS version inventory to identify endpoints still running builds prior to macOS Tahoe 26
Alert on new code signing identities executing for the first time in the environment

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31270

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade all affected Mac endpoints to macOS Tahoe 26 or later as documented in the Apple Security Support Article
Audit installed third-party applications and remove any that are unnecessary or of unknown provenance
Review and tighten TCC permission grants for user-data resources across managed macOS fleets

Patch Information

Apple fixed CVE-2025-31270 in macOS Tahoe 26 by applying additional restrictions to the affected permissions logic. Administrators should deploy the update through Software Update, Mobile Device Management (MDM), or Apple Business Manager. Full details are available in the Apple Security Support Article.

Workarounds

Restrict installation of third-party applications on managed macOS endpoints using MDM configuration profiles
Enforce Gatekeeper and notarization requirements to block unsigned applications from executing
Limit user privileges so that only vetted software can request access to protected user data

bash

# Verify current macOS version and confirm it is at or above Tahoe 26
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger macOS software update check
sudo softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart