CVE-2025-24103

Protected-data access via improper symlink validation

Published Jan 27, 2025 · Updated May 21, 2026

Link following in Apple macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia allows local users to read protected user data through a malicious app. The Security component inadequately validates symlinks before resolving file access, allowing a crafted link to redirect an app to protected data. A local user must run or induce execution of an app on an affected Mac; Apple has not disclosed the exact path or API that reaches the faulty check.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.65%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Link following in Apple macOS Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia allows local users to read protected user data through a malicious app. The Security component inadequately validates symlinks before resolving file access, allowing a crafted link to redirect an app to protected data. A local user must run or induce execution of an app on an affected Mac; Apple has not disclosed the exact path or API that reaches the faulty check.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-24103
Published
Jan 27, 2025
Updated
May 21, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-59, T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 21, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <13.7.3
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <14.7.3
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <15.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=0 <13.7.3; version=0 <14.7.3; version=0 <15.3

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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