CVE-2025-30456
📋 TL;DR
A directory path parsing vulnerability in Apple operating systems allows applications to escalate privileges to root. This affects macOS Ventura, iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, and macOS Sonoma before specific patched versions. An attacker could exploit this to gain full system control.
💻 Affected Systems
- macOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
📦 What is this software?
Ipados by Apple
Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with root access, allowing installation of persistent malware, data theft, and lateral movement across networks.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation where a malicious app gains root privileges to bypass security controls and access sensitive data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper application sandboxing and least privilege principles are enforced, though root access remains dangerous.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local application execution. No public exploit code available at this time, but technical details may be disclosed in references.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Ventura 13.7.5, iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/122371
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install available updates. 3. Verify installation by checking version matches patched versions above.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict application installation
allLimit installation to App Store only and enforce application allowlisting to reduce attack surface.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict application control policies to prevent unauthorized app execution
- Enforce least privilege principles and monitor for privilege escalation attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check current OS version against affected versions list. On macOS: System Settings > General > About. On iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About.Check Version:
macOS: sw_vers -productVersion. iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About > Version.Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm OS version matches or exceeds patched versions: macOS Ventura 13.7.5+, iOS 18.4+, iPadOS 18.4+, macOS Sequoia 15.4+, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5+.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected privilege escalation events
- Processes running with root privileges from user applications
- Failed authorization attempts in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from system processes
- Lateral movement attempts from compromised systems
SIEM Query:
Process creation events where parent process is user application and child process has elevated privileges (e.g., root or SYSTEM)🔗 References
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122371
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122373
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122374
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122375
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/10
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/4
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/8
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/9
