CVE-2025-24136

Protected-disk symlink creation via improper link validation

Published Jan 27, 2025 · Updated Apr 2, 2026

Improper link resolution in Apple macOS allows local users to create symlinks in protected disk regions through a malicious app. The Login Window component inadequately validates symbolic links before permitting their creation in disk locations that macOS otherwise protects. Affected releases are macOS Ventura before 13.7.3, macOS Sonoma before 14.7.3, and macOS Sequoia before 15.3; exploitation requires user interaction with the malicious app.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in Apple macOS allows local users to create symlinks in protected disk regions through a malicious app. The Login Window component inadequately validates symbolic links before permitting their creation in disk locations that macOS otherwise protects. Affected releases are macOS Ventura before 13.7.3, macOS Sonoma before 14.7.3, and macOS Sequoia before 15.3; exploitation requires user interaction with the malicious app.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-24136
Published
Jan 27, 2025
Updated
Apr 2, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-59
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 2, 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

4.4NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
4.4CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

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')

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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