CVE-2025-30438 is a vulnerability identified in Apple tvOS and several other Apple operating systems, including visionOS, macOS Ventura, iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, and macOS Sonoma. The issue arises from insufficient access restrictions that allow a malicious application to dismiss or suppress the system notification displayed on the Lock Screen when a recording starts. This notification is a critical security feature designed to alert users that their device is actively recording audio or video. By bypassing this notification, an attacker can covertly record without the user's knowledge, undermining user trust and privacy. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), indicating that the app can perform an action it should not be authorized to do. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), high integrity impact (I:H), and no availability impact (A:N). Exploitation requires the user to interact with the malicious app locally, but no elevated privileges are needed. Apple has fixed this issue in tvOS 18.4 and corresponding updates for other platforms by enhancing access restrictions to prevent apps from dismissing these critical system notifications. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability primarily threatens the integrity of the notification system, potentially enabling stealthy recording activities that could be used for espionage, data theft, or privacy violations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant privacy and security risk, especially for sectors relying on Apple TV devices or other affected Apple platforms for communication, media consumption, or conferencing. The ability for a malicious app to suppress recording notifications could enable insider threats or external attackers to conduct covert surveillance, capturing sensitive audio or video without detection. This undermines compliance with stringent European data protection regulations such as GDPR, which mandates transparency and user consent for recording activities. Organizations in media, government, finance, and critical infrastructure sectors are particularly at risk, as unauthorized recordings could lead to intellectual property theft, leakage of confidential information, or compromise of sensitive communications. Although the vulnerability does not directly impact system availability or confidentiality, the integrity breach of notification mechanisms can facilitate broader attacks or data exfiltration. The requirement for local user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments where users may install untrusted apps or be subject to social engineering. Failure to patch promptly could result in reputational damage and regulatory penalties if covert recordings lead to data breaches.

European organizations should immediately verify and deploy the security updates released by Apple, specifically tvOS 18.4 and the corresponding updates for visionOS, macOS Ventura, iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, and macOS Sonoma. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict application installation policies on Apple devices, restricting installation to trusted sources and using Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to control app permissions. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of installing unverified apps and the importance of recognizing suspicious behavior. Implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of monitoring unusual app behavior related to recording or notification suppression can provide additional defense. Regular audits of device configurations and installed applications will help identify potential risks. For high-security environments, consider disabling or limiting recording capabilities on Apple devices where feasible. Finally, ensure that incident response plans include procedures for investigating potential covert recording incidents and that logs related to recording activities are monitored and retained securely.