CVE-2025-24183 is a vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows a local user with limited privileges to modify protected parts of the file system due to insufficient access control checks (CWE-269). This flaw compromises the integrity of critical system components by permitting unauthorized modifications, which could facilitate persistence mechanisms or enable further privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability directly but poses a significant risk to system integrity. It requires local access with low privileges and does not require user interaction, making exploitation feasible for any local user account. The issue affects macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15.3, Sonoma 14.7.3, and Ventura 13.7.3, where Apple has implemented improved checks to prevent unauthorized file system modifications. No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, no confidentiality or availability impact, but high integrity impact. This vulnerability underscores the importance of strict access control enforcement on protected file system areas to prevent unauthorized local modifications.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-24183 is the compromise of system integrity on affected macOS devices. A local attacker with limited privileges can modify protected file system areas, potentially allowing them to implant persistent backdoors, tamper with system binaries, or alter security configurations. This could facilitate further privilege escalation or evade detection by security tools. While confidentiality and availability are not directly affected, the integrity breach can undermine trust in system operations and lead to significant security incidents. Organizations with macOS endpoints, especially those in sensitive environments such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, face increased risk of targeted local attacks or insider threats exploiting this vulnerability. The lack of remote exploitability limits the attack surface to local users, but in environments with shared access or compromised accounts, the threat is substantial. Failure to patch could result in persistent compromise and increased difficulty in forensic investigations.

To mitigate CVE-2025-24183, organizations should promptly apply the security updates provided by Apple in macOS Sequoia 15.3, Sonoma 14.7.3, and Ventura 13.7.3 or later. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict local user account management by limiting the number of users with local access and applying the principle of least privilege. Implement endpoint security solutions capable of monitoring file system integrity and alerting on unauthorized modifications to protected areas. Employ system hardening techniques such as enabling System Integrity Protection (SIP) and restricting the use of administrative privileges. Regularly audit local user activities and file system changes to detect anomalous behavior. For environments with shared devices, consider additional access controls or user session isolation to reduce the risk of local exploitation. Finally, maintain comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to restore system integrity if compromise occurs.