CVE-2025-24106 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows an application to cause unexpected system termination, effectively a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The root cause is insufficient entitlement checks within the operating system, which permits an app to trigger a system crash without requiring elevated privileges. The vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning an attacker must convince a user to run or interact with a malicious app. The flaw affects multiple macOS versions prior to the releases macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Ventura 13.7.3, where Apple has implemented additional entitlement checks to mitigate the issue. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based, attack complexity is low, no privileges are required, but user interaction is necessary. The impact is limited to availability, with no confidentiality or integrity loss. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability could be leveraged to disrupt system operations, causing downtime or loss of productivity. The vulnerability highlights the importance of entitlement checks in macOS to prevent unauthorized system-level actions by apps. Organizations using affected macOS versions should prioritize patching to avoid potential denial-of-service attacks.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-24106 is denial of service through unexpected system termination, which can disrupt business operations, cause data loss if unsaved work is lost during crashes, and reduce user productivity. Since the vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or integrity, the risk of data breaches or unauthorized data modification is low. However, the availability impact can be significant in environments relying heavily on macOS systems, such as creative industries, software development, and enterprises with Apple device fleets. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to cause repeated system crashes, potentially leading to operational disruptions or forcing costly system reboots and troubleshooting. The requirement for user interaction limits large-scale automated exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks, especially in spear-phishing or social engineering scenarios. Organizations with critical macOS infrastructure or services may face increased risk of downtime and should treat this vulnerability seriously.

To mitigate CVE-2025-24106, organizations should immediately update all affected macOS systems to the patched versions: macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, or macOS Ventura 13.7.3. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict application control policies, such as using Apple’s Gatekeeper and notarization requirements to ensure only trusted and verified apps are installed and executed. User education is critical to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could trick users into running malicious apps. Implement endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous app behavior or repeated crashes. Regularly audit installed applications and remove unnecessary or untrusted software. For high-security environments, consider restricting user permissions to prevent installation of unauthorized apps and monitor system logs for signs of unexpected terminations. Finally, maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize impact from potential system crashes.