CVE-2025-31236 is a medium-severity information disclosure vulnerability affecting Apple macOS, fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.5. The vulnerability stems from insufficient privacy controls that allow an application with limited privileges (low privilege level) to access sensitive user data without requiring user interaction. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates that the attack requires local access with low complexity and privileges, no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality with high impact, but does not affect integrity or availability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). Although the affected macOS versions are unspecified, the fix is included in the latest Sequoia 15.5 release. No public exploits have been reported, suggesting limited exploitation so far. The vulnerability could be exploited by malicious local apps or insiders to extract sensitive data, potentially including personal information, credentials, or other protected content. The issue highlights the importance of robust privacy controls and app sandboxing in macOS. Organizations relying on macOS devices should apply the update promptly and review app permission policies to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a confidentiality risk by potentially exposing sensitive user data to unauthorized local applications. This could lead to data breaches involving personal information, intellectual property, or credentials, impacting privacy compliance such as GDPR. While the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the unauthorized data access could facilitate further attacks or insider threats. Organizations with macOS endpoints in sectors like finance, healthcare, government, or critical infrastructure may face increased risk due to the sensitivity of the data handled. The requirement for local access and low privileges reduces the likelihood of remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or malware that gains local foothold. Failure to patch could result in compliance violations and reputational damage if sensitive data is leaked. The medium severity rating reflects a moderate but non-negligible risk that should be addressed promptly.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Sequoia 15.5 or later to apply the official fix addressing this vulnerability. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted apps to run, reducing the risk of malicious local apps exploiting this flaw. 3. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring and alerting on unusual local app behaviors or unauthorized data access attempts. 4. Review and tighten privacy and app permission settings within macOS to limit app access to sensitive user data. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and remove unnecessary or untrusted software. 6. Educate users on the risks of installing untrusted applications and the importance of reporting suspicious activity. 7. For organizations with sensitive data, consider additional data encryption at rest and in use to mitigate potential data leakage. 8. Monitor security advisories for any emerging exploit reports or additional patches related to this vulnerability.