CVE-2025-31269 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Sonoma 14.8 and macOS Tahoe 26. The vulnerability stems from a permissions issue (classified under CWE-284: Improper Access Control) that could allow a malicious application to access protected user data without proper authorization. The flaw does not require prior authentication (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as the user running or installing the malicious app. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have local access to the device. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (C:H) but does not affect integrity or availability. The issue was mitigated by Apple through additional restrictions on permissions, indicating that previously apps could bypass certain access controls to read sensitive user data. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the affected versions are unspecified beyond the fixed versions, suggesting that earlier macOS releases prior to Sonoma 14.8 and Tahoe 26 may be vulnerable. Given the medium CVSS score of 5.5, the vulnerability represents a moderate risk, particularly in environments where local device access is possible and users may be tricked into running untrusted applications. The vulnerability highlights the importance of strict access control enforcement in operating systems to protect user data confidentiality.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to endpoints running vulnerable versions of macOS. The potential impact includes unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data, which could lead to privacy violations, intellectual property leaks, or exposure of confidential business information. Organizations with a significant macOS user base, such as creative industries, software development firms, and enterprises using Apple hardware, could face data confidentiality breaches if attackers gain local access or trick users into executing malicious apps. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach could result in regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, leading to legal and financial repercussions. The requirement for user interaction limits large-scale automated exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks, especially in environments with less stringent endpoint security controls. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests that proactive patching and user awareness can effectively mitigate risk before widespread exploitation occurs.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to Sonoma 14.8, Tahoe 26, or later versions where the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict endpoint security policies, including application whitelisting to prevent execution of unauthorized software, and enforce least privilege principles to limit user permissions. User education campaigns should emphasize the risks of running untrusted applications and the importance of verifying software sources. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious local activity indicative of attempts to access protected data. Additionally, organizations should audit existing macOS devices to identify and remediate any unauthorized applications or configurations that could facilitate exploitation. Network segmentation and restricting physical or remote access to macOS endpoints can further reduce the attack surface. Finally, regular compliance checks and data protection assessments should be conducted to ensure adherence to GDPR and other relevant privacy regulations.