CVE-2025-31260 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS, specifically addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.5. The issue stems from a permissions flaw (classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control) that could allow an application with limited privileges (local access with low complexity) to access sensitive user data without requiring user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a scenario where an attacker with local access and low privileges can exploit the vulnerability without user interaction, resulting in a high impact on confidentiality but no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges beyond local access, and no authentication or user interaction is needed, making it a concern for environments where untrusted or less-trusted applications might be installed or executed. The flaw was addressed by Apple through additional restrictions on permissions, improving the access control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized data access. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the affected macOS versions are unspecified, though the fix is included in macOS Sequoia 15.5. This vulnerability highlights the importance of strict access controls in operating systems to protect sensitive user data from potentially malicious or compromised applications.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality of sensitive user data on macOS devices. Organizations with employees or infrastructure relying on macOS systems could face unauthorized data exposure if attackers exploit this flaw locally. This could lead to leakage of personal data, intellectual property, or other confidential information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Since the vulnerability requires local access but no user interaction, it could be exploited by malicious insiders, compromised user accounts, or through malware that gains local foothold. The lack of impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of system disruption but does not diminish the potential privacy and compliance consequences. Organizations in sectors with high data sensitivity, such as finance, healthcare, and government, are particularly at risk. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive patching and mitigation before active exploitation occurs.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to macOS Sequoia 15.5 or later to ensure the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application whitelisting and endpoint protection to prevent unauthorized or untrusted applications from executing. Employing least privilege principles for user accounts and restricting local administrative rights can reduce the risk of exploitation. Monitoring for unusual local access patterns and employing data loss prevention (DLP) solutions can help detect potential unauthorized data access. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular audits of installed applications and permissions on macOS systems to identify and remediate potential risks. User education on the risks of installing untrusted software and maintaining strong endpoint security hygiene will further reduce exposure. For environments with high security requirements, consider deploying macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and FileVault encryption to protect data confidentiality.