CVE-2025-31243 is a vulnerability in Apple macOS stemming from a permissions issue that could allow an application to escalate privileges to root level. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) and affects multiple recent macOS versions, including Sonoma 14.7.7, Ventura 13.7.7, and Sequoia 15.6. The root cause involves insufficient restrictions on certain operations or resources that an app can access, enabling privilege escalation. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8, indicating high severity, with an attack vector limited to local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning a successful exploit can fully compromise the system. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk if a malicious app is installed and executed by a user. Apple addressed the issue by implementing additional restrictions to correct the permissions flaw. The vulnerability highlights the importance of controlling application permissions and user behavior on macOS systems to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a critical risk as it allows local attackers or malicious applications to gain root privileges, potentially leading to full system compromise. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, and the ability to install persistent malware or backdoors. Organizations relying on macOS for business-critical operations, including government agencies, financial institutions, and technology companies, could face severe confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. The requirement for user interaction means social engineering or phishing could be used to trick users into executing malicious apps. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits rapidly after public disclosure. The vulnerability could also be leveraged in targeted attacks against high-value European entities, increasing the potential for espionage or sabotage.

European organizations should immediately apply the security updates released by Apple for macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, Ventura 13.7.7, and Sequoia 15.6 to remediate this vulnerability. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized or untrusted apps from executing. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting privilege escalation attempts and monitor for unusual local application behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. User education is critical to reduce the risk of social engineering that could lead to execution of malicious apps. Additionally, implement least privilege principles for user accounts to limit the impact of any successful exploitation. Regularly audit installed applications and system permissions to detect anomalies. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting local software installation rights and using mobile device management (MDM) tools to enforce security policies on macOS devices.