CVE-2025-31184 is a vulnerability in Apple’s iOS, iPadOS, Safari, visionOS, and macOS Sequoia platforms that allows an application to gain unauthorized access to the local network. The root cause is inadequate permissions checking, which permits apps to bypass the intended user consent mechanism designed to protect local network resources. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-281 (Improper Authorization) and has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, indicating high severity. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring the attacker to have local access to the device and user interaction (UI:R), but no privileges (PR:N) are needed. The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). Exploiting this flaw could allow malicious apps to scan, interact with, or manipulate devices on the local network without explicit user permission, potentially leading to data leakage, lateral movement, or disruption of network services. Apple fixed this issue by improving the permissions checking mechanism in the specified software versions. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk given the widespread use of Apple devices and the sensitivity of local network environments.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to internal network devices such as printers, IoT devices, file servers, and other critical infrastructure components connected to the local network. Confidentiality could be compromised through data interception or unauthorized data access. Integrity risks include manipulation or disruption of networked devices, potentially affecting business operations. Availability could be impacted if attackers disrupt network services or devices. Organizations relying heavily on Apple devices, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, face increased risk. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering could facilitate exploitation. The vulnerability could also aid attackers in lateral movement within segmented networks, increasing the scope of potential damage.

European organizations should prioritize updating all affected Apple devices to the patched versions: iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, Safari 18.4, visionOS 2.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict app permission policies, restricting local network access to trusted applications only. Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce these policies and monitor app behaviors. Educate users about the risks of granting local network permissions and the dangers of social engineering attacks that could trigger user interaction. Network segmentation should be enhanced to limit the impact of compromised devices. Additionally, monitoring local network traffic for unusual scanning or connection attempts can help detect exploitation attempts. Regular audits of installed apps and their permissions can prevent unauthorized access.