Overview
CVE-2025-24088 is a significant cybersecurity vulnerability affecting macOS Tahoe 26. It allows for apps to potentially override MDM-enforced settings from profiles, presenting an opportunity for system compromise or data leakage. This vulnerability is of critical importance to system administrators and cybersecurity professionals tasked with maintaining the integrity and security of macOS systems.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-24088
Severity: High (CVSS: 7.5)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
macOS Tahoe | Version 26
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability is based on an app’s ability to override MDM-enforced settings from profiles. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious app or manipulating an existing one to change the MDM settings, which can compromise system integrity and lead to data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Given the nature of this vulnerability, an example of exploitation would be a malicious app changing MDM-enforced settings. The pseudocode could look something like this:
def malicious_app():
# Override MDM settings
override_mdm_settings('settings_to_override')
def override_mdm_settings(settings):
# The actual code would depend on the MDM API and the specific settings
mdm_api.change_settings(settings, 'malicious_values')Please note that this is a conceptual example, and the actual code will vary depending on the specific MDM API and the particular settings to be changed.
Mitigation Guidance
Apple has addressed this issue by adding additional logic in macOS Tahoe 26. Users are urged to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible. In case the patch cannot be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation. Regularly updating and patching systems, as well as monitoring system and network activity, can also help prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.