CVE-2025-24274 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Ventura 13.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.7.6. The root cause of this vulnerability is an input validation issue, classified under CWE-20, which allowed a malicious application to potentially escalate its privileges to root level. This means that an attacker who can execute a malicious app on a vulnerable macOS system could exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over the system without requiring user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, reflecting its high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L). No user interaction is needed (UI:N), and the scope remains unchanged (S:U). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for privilege escalation to root, which could allow attackers to install persistent malware, access sensitive data, or disrupt system operations. The vulnerability was mitigated by removing the vulnerable code responsible for improper input validation in the affected macOS versions.

For European organizations, this vulnerability represents a critical risk especially for those relying on Apple macOS devices within their IT infrastructure. The ability for a malicious app to gain root privileges could lead to full system compromise, exposing sensitive corporate data, intellectual property, and personal information of employees and customers. This could result in data breaches, operational disruptions, and compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. Organizations in sectors like finance, healthcare, government, and technology, which often use macOS for development or administrative tasks, are particularly at risk. The local attack vector means that the attacker needs some level of access to the device, which could be achieved through phishing, social engineering, or insider threats. Once exploited, the attacker could bypass many security controls, making detection and remediation more difficult. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for organizations to patch and harden their systems before active exploitation occurs.

European organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates provided by Apple for macOS Ventura 13.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.5, and macOS Sonoma 14.7.6 to remediate this vulnerability. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized or malicious apps from executing. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be configured to monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts and anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation. Limiting local user privileges and enforcing the principle of least privilege can reduce the risk of exploitation by restricting the ability of low-privileged users to install or run untrusted software. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security awareness training to mitigate risks from phishing or social engineering that could lead to initial access. Network segmentation and strong access controls can further limit the spread and impact of a compromised device. Finally, maintaining comprehensive backups and incident response plans will help organizations recover quickly if exploitation occurs.