CVE-2025-24174 is a vulnerability in Apple macOS that enables an application to bypass the system's Privacy preferences, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive user data. Privacy preferences in macOS control access to protected resources such as location services, camera, microphone, contacts, and other personal information. The vulnerability arises from insufficient enforcement of these privacy checks, permitting an app to circumvent user consent mechanisms. The issue affects multiple macOS versions prior to Ventura 13.7.3, Sequoia 15.3, and Sonoma 14.7.3, where Apple has implemented improved checks to address the flaw. The CVSS 3.1 vector indicates the attack requires local access (AV:L), no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), meaning an attacker with local access can exploit the vulnerability without needing elevated permissions or user actions. The impact is primarily on confidentiality and integrity, as unauthorized data access or manipulation could occur, but availability is not affected. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information). No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of now, but the high severity score (7.7) highlights the critical nature of the issue. Organizations relying on macOS devices should apply the patches promptly to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data accessed via macOS devices. Since the flaw allows bypassing privacy controls, malicious applications or insiders with local access could extract personal or corporate information without user consent. This could lead to data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and loss of trust. The impact is especially critical for sectors handling sensitive information such as finance, healthcare, government, and technology. The lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access is obtained, increasing the threat surface. Although availability is unaffected, the potential for unauthorized data exposure can have severe operational and reputational consequences. European organizations with remote or hybrid workforces using macOS devices may face increased risk if endpoint security controls are insufficient.

1. Immediately deploy the security updates provided in macOS Ventura 13.7.3, Sequoia 15.3, and Sonoma 14.7.3 to all affected devices. 2. Restrict local access to macOS systems by enforcing strong physical security controls and limiting user permissions to trusted personnel only. 3. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring and alerting on suspicious local application behavior that attempts to access protected resources without authorization. 4. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and remove or block untrusted or unnecessary software that could exploit this vulnerability. 5. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of applying system updates promptly. 6. For organizations with macOS device fleets, use Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools to enforce update policies and monitor compliance. 7. Monitor for unusual data access patterns or exfiltration attempts that could indicate exploitation of privacy bypasses. 8. Maintain a robust incident response plan to quickly address any detected exploitation attempts.