CVE-2025-24279 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows an application with limited privileges (requiring only low privileges) to access the user's contacts without explicit user consent or interaction. The root cause is improper file handling within the operating system, which inadvertently permits unauthorized access to sensitive contact data stored on the device. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions prior to the patched releases: macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, and macOS Ventura 13.7.5. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3, indicating medium severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacting confidentiality only (C:L), without affecting integrity or availability. The vulnerability falls under CWE-200, which relates to exposure of sensitive information. Apple resolved this issue by improving file handling processes to restrict unauthorized access to contact data. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. This vulnerability could be exploited by malicious apps or remote attackers to harvest contact information, potentially leading to privacy violations or targeted social engineering attacks.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-24279 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive contact information stored on macOS devices. For organizations, this can lead to privacy breaches, exposure of employee or client contact details, and increased risk of spear-phishing or social engineering attacks leveraging the harvested data. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach can undermine trust and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR or CCPA. Since exploitation requires only low privileges and no user interaction, malicious apps or attackers with limited access could leverage this flaw to silently extract contact data. This risk is particularly significant for enterprises and government agencies that rely heavily on macOS devices and handle sensitive or confidential contact information. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks once the vulnerability becomes widely known.

To mitigate CVE-2025-24279, organizations and users should promptly update affected macOS systems to the fixed versions: macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, or macOS Ventura 13.7.5. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to restrict installation of untrusted or unnecessary apps, minimizing the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of monitoring unusual file access patterns related to contacts data. Regularly audit app permissions and remove or restrict apps that request access to contacts without valid business needs. Network segmentation and limiting network exposure of macOS devices can reduce the attack surface. Additionally, educating users about the risks of installing unverified applications and maintaining up-to-date backups can further reduce impact. Monitoring for unusual outbound traffic that could indicate data exfiltration attempts is also recommended.