CVE-2025-30442 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.6, and macOS Sonoma 14.7.6. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input sanitization, categorized under CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation). This flaw allows a malicious application to gain elevated privileges on the affected system. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 reflects a high impact, with the vector indicating that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). In practical terms, a local attacker or malicious app installed on the system could exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges, potentially gaining root or system-level access. This could allow the attacker to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, install persistent malware, or disrupt system operations. The issue was resolved by Apple through improved input sanitization, which prevents malicious inputs from triggering the elevation of privilege. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the presence of a patch indicates the vulnerability is recognized and mitigated in recent macOS releases.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, particularly for enterprises and government agencies that rely on macOS devices for critical operations. Elevated privileges can lead to full system compromise, exposing sensitive corporate or personal data, intellectual property, and confidential communications. The ability to escalate privileges without user interaction increases the risk of stealthy attacks that can evade detection. Organizations with macOS endpoints used by privileged users or developers are especially vulnerable. The impact extends to potential disruption of business continuity and compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR, where unauthorized access to personal data can result in heavy fines. Furthermore, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for lateral movement within networks, increasing the risk of widespread compromise. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the high CVSS score and the nature of the vulnerability warrant proactive mitigation to prevent exploitation.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to the patched versions: macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.6, or macOS Sonoma 14.7.6. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to restrict the installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for unusual privilege escalation behaviors. Conduct regular audits of user privileges and remove unnecessary local privileges to limit the potential impact of exploitation. Additionally, enforce the principle of least privilege for all users and processes. Network segmentation can help contain any compromise resulting from exploitation. Finally, educate users about the risks of installing unauthorized software and maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to mitigate damage from potential attacks.