CVE-2025-5687 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability identified in Mozilla VPN clients running on macOS, specifically affecting versions 2.28.0 and below. The vulnerability allows an attacker with limited privileges (a normal user) on the affected system to escalate their privileges to root, thereby gaining full administrative control over the device. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-269, which involves improper privilege management. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, indicating a high severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) shows that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), and low privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means that once exploited, the attacker can fully compromise the system’s security, potentially accessing sensitive data, modifying system files, and disrupting system availability. The vulnerability is limited to macOS versions of Mozilla VPN; other operating systems are not affected. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved on June 4, 2025, and published on June 11, 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. The lack of a patch means systems remain vulnerable until an update is released and applied.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on Mozilla VPN for secure remote access and privacy protection on macOS devices. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker who has gained local access—potentially through other means such as phishing or physical access—to escalate privileges and fully compromise the device. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, disruption of business operations, and potential lateral movement within the network. Given the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, organizations could face data breaches, intellectual property theft, and operational downtime. The risk is heightened in sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, where unauthorized data access can result in severe legal and financial penalties. Additionally, organizations with macOS-based infrastructure or employees using macOS laptops for remote work are particularly vulnerable. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits rapidly following public disclosure.

European organizations should proactively mitigate this vulnerability by implementing the following measures: 1) Monitor Mozilla’s official channels closely for the release of a security patch addressing CVE-2025-5687 and prioritize prompt deployment once available. 2) Restrict local access to macOS devices running Mozilla VPN to trusted personnel only, employing strong physical security controls and endpoint access management. 3) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting unusual privilege escalation attempts on macOS systems. 4) Enforce the principle of least privilege on user accounts to minimize the impact of potential local exploits. 5) Conduct regular security awareness training to reduce the risk of initial local compromise vectors such as phishing. 6) Consider temporarily disabling Mozilla VPN on macOS devices where feasible until a patch is applied, especially in high-risk environments. 7) Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring of macOS endpoints to detect suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 8) Evaluate alternative VPN solutions with a strong security track record on macOS if immediate patching is not possible.