CVE-2025-24088 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple's macOS operating system, specifically related to the management of Mobile Device Management (MDM) enforced settings. MDM is a critical enterprise feature used by organizations to enforce security policies and configurations on managed devices. This vulnerability allows a malicious application to override settings that are enforced by MDM profiles, effectively bypassing administrative controls intended to secure the device. The root cause relates to insufficient enforcement logic within macOS that permitted apps to circumvent restrictions set by MDM profiles. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, which involves improper access control, indicating that the flaw allows unauthorized modification of protected configurations. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality with no required privileges or user interaction, and network attack vector, meaning exploitation can occur remotely without authentication. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the potential for abuse is significant given the ability to override security policies silently. Apple addressed this issue in macOS Tahoe 26 by adding additional logic to strengthen enforcement of MDM settings, closing the bypass vector. Organizations running macOS versions prior to Tahoe 26 remain vulnerable to this flaw, which could be exploited by malicious apps to weaken device security postures, potentially exposing sensitive data or enabling further attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to endpoint security, especially in sectors relying heavily on macOS devices managed via MDM solutions, such as finance, government, healthcare, and technology. The ability for an app to override MDM-enforced settings undermines centralized security controls, potentially allowing attackers to disable security features, install unauthorized software, or exfiltrate confidential information without detection. This could lead to data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and operational disruptions. The confidentiality impact is high since sensitive corporate or personal data could be exposed. The integrity and availability impacts are lower but still relevant if attackers use this bypass to install persistence mechanisms or malware. Given that exploitation requires no privileges or user interaction and can be performed remotely, the threat surface is broad. European organizations with large macOS deployments and strict compliance requirements are particularly at risk, as this vulnerability weakens the trust model of device management and security enforcement.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Until full upgrade is feasible, organizations should implement strict application whitelisting and endpoint protection controls to prevent installation or execution of untrusted applications that could exploit this vulnerability. Monitoring MDM logs and device compliance reports for anomalies or unexpected configuration changes can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should review and tighten MDM profile configurations to minimize the attack surface, such as restricting app installation sources and enforcing stricter security policies. Employing network segmentation and limiting device access to sensitive resources can reduce the impact of a compromised device. Security teams should also educate users about the risks of installing unauthorized software and maintain up-to-date threat intelligence to respond quickly if exploit code emerges. Finally, coordinating with Apple support and leveraging enterprise security tools that integrate with macOS security features can enhance detection and response capabilities.