CVE-2025-31270 is a permissions-related vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows an application to access protected user data improperly. The root cause is a permissions issue where the system did not enforce sufficient restrictions on app access to sensitive user information. This vulnerability affects macOS versions prior to the release of macOS Tahoe 26, where Apple introduced additional restrictions to mitigate the issue. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), indicating that the affected system failed to adequately restrict access to resources. According to the CVSS v3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), exploitation requires local access (an attacker must have physical or remote access to the device), low attack complexity, no privileges, and user interaction (the user must perform some action, such as launching a malicious app). The impact is high on confidentiality, as protected user data can be accessed without authorization, but there is no impact on integrity or availability. No public exploits have been reported, suggesting that exploitation is not widespread yet, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk if leveraged by malicious actors. The fix involves enhanced permission restrictions implemented in macOS Tahoe 26, which prevent unauthorized apps from accessing protected data. Organizations using macOS should ensure timely updates to this version to mitigate the risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access to sensitive user data on macOS devices. This could lead to data breaches involving personal information, intellectual property, or confidential business data, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or risks from compromised endpoints. Organizations with a high number of macOS endpoints, especially in sectors such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government, could face significant confidentiality breaches. The medium severity rating reflects the balance between the impact on confidentiality and the exploitation constraints. However, the potential regulatory and reputational damage from data exposure in Europe is considerable. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but should not lead to complacency. Proactive patching and permission management are critical to prevent exploitation.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed with enhanced permission restrictions. 2. Implement strict application control policies to limit installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned apps, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting the vulnerability. 3. Educate users about the risks of installing unknown applications and the importance of cautious user interaction to prevent triggering the exploit. 4. Use endpoint protection solutions capable of monitoring and restricting app permissions and behaviors on macOS devices. 5. Regularly audit and review app permissions on macOS endpoints to ensure no unauthorized access to protected data is granted. 6. Employ network segmentation and access controls to limit local access to macOS devices, reducing the attack surface for local exploits. 7. Monitor for unusual local activity or attempts to access protected data, which could indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Maintain an up-to-date inventory of macOS devices and their patch status to ensure compliance with security policies.