CVE-2025-22165 is a security misconfiguration vulnerability in Atlassian Sourcetree for Mac, specifically affecting versions 4.2.8 through 4.2.11 inclusive. This vulnerability allows a locally authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability is classified as an Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE) flaw, which means that an attacker who has local access and some level of authentication can exploit the vulnerability to run malicious code with the privileges of the user running Sourcetree. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.9, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:L) reveals that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), partial attack type (AT:P), low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:P). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level, meaning that successful exploitation could lead to significant data compromise, unauthorized modifications, or service disruption. The vulnerability stems from a security misconfiguration, categorized under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), which suggests that the application improperly manages permissions or security settings, enabling escalation or unauthorized code execution. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely used development tool like Sourcetree for Mac poses a tangible risk, especially in environments where developers use this tool extensively. Atlassian recommends upgrading to the latest fixed versions to remediate the issue. The vulnerability was responsibly disclosed via Atlassian's Bug Bounty Program by researcher Karol Mazurek (AFINE).

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-22165 can be significant, particularly for software development teams relying on Sourcetree for Mac as part of their version control workflows. Since the vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution with user-level privileges, an attacker who gains local access could execute malicious payloads, potentially leading to data theft, injection of malicious code into source repositories, or disruption of development processes. This could compromise the integrity of software builds and the confidentiality of proprietary code. Additionally, if exploited in environments where Sourcetree is used on shared or less secure machines, the risk of lateral movement or further compromise increases. The requirement for local authentication and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in scenarios involving social engineering or insider threats. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, organizations with stringent compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR) must consider this vulnerability seriously to avoid regulatory penalties and reputational damage.

1. Immediate upgrade: Organizations should prioritize upgrading all instances of Sourcetree for Mac to the latest version beyond 4.2.11, as Atlassian has released fixed versions addressing this vulnerability. 2. Restrict local access: Limit local user access to systems running Sourcetree to trusted personnel only, reducing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized users. 3. Harden endpoint security: Implement endpoint protection solutions that monitor and restrict unauthorized code execution and suspicious activities on developer machines. 4. User training: Educate developers and users about the risks of social engineering and the importance of not executing untrusted files or links, as user interaction is required for exploitation. 5. Monitor for suspicious activity: Employ logging and monitoring on developer workstations to detect unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Segmentation: Isolate development environments from critical production systems to contain potential breaches. 7. Review permissions: Audit and tighten permissions related to Sourcetree and associated repositories to minimize privilege escalation opportunities. 8. Incident response readiness: Prepare and test incident response plans specifically for development environment compromises.