CVE-2025-24212 is a sandbox escape vulnerability affecting Apple tvOS and other Apple operating systems including visionOS, macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. The sandbox is a critical security mechanism that isolates applications to prevent them from accessing unauthorized system resources or other app data. This vulnerability allows a malicious app running with limited privileges to break out of its sandbox environment, potentially gaining access to restricted system components or data. The flaw was addressed by Apple through enhanced validation and security checks in the affected OS versions, including tvOS 18.4 and macOS Ventura 13.7.5. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3 indicates a medium severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and a scope change (S:C). The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability but is limited by the need for local access and privileges. No public exploits have been reported, suggesting the vulnerability is not yet actively exploited. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions prior to the patched releases, so organizations should verify and update their Apple devices accordingly.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to environments where Apple TV devices or other affected Apple platforms are used, especially in enterprise or media delivery contexts. A successful sandbox escape could allow an attacker to access sensitive data or execute unauthorized code beyond the app’s intended scope, potentially leading to data leakage, system instability, or further compromise. Although exploitation requires local access and some privileges, insider threats or compromised devices could leverage this flaw to escalate privileges or move laterally within a network. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is limited but non-negligible, and availability could be affected if system components are disrupted. Organizations relying on Apple ecosystems for digital signage, media streaming, or internal applications should consider this vulnerability a risk to operational security and data protection compliance under regulations like GDPR.

European organizations should immediately verify the versions of Apple tvOS and other Apple operating systems in use and apply the security updates released by Apple, including tvOS 18.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, and corresponding updates for iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS. Restrict installation of untrusted or third-party apps on Apple TV devices to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on devices to detect unusual local activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. Employ endpoint security solutions capable of detecting sandbox escape behaviors. Regularly audit device configurations and enforce policies that limit privilege escalation opportunities. Additionally, educate users and administrators about the risks of installing unauthorized applications and the importance of timely patching. For managed environments, use Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools to enforce update compliance and app restrictions.