CVE-2025-31248: 
macOS vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-31248 is a path traversal vulnerability in the macOS UserAccountUpdater component, where improper handling of directory paths allows a locally installed app to access sensitive user data. The flaw was addressed with improved path validation and affects macOS Ventura prior to 13.7.3, macOS Sonoma prior to 14.7.3, and macOS Sequoia prior to 15.5. Apple first disclosed the vulnerability on May 12, 2025 (in the macOS Sequoia 15.5 release notes), with additional advisories for Sonoma and Ventura added on November 21, 2025. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (Medium) (Apple Sequoia Advisory, Apple Sonoma Advisory, Apple Ventura Advisory).

The vulnerability is classified as CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory — Path Traversal). The root cause is a parsing issue in the UserAccountUpdater component's handling of directory paths, where insufficient validation allows a crafted path to escape its intended directory boundary. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges and no user interaction, enabling a malicious app to read sensitive user data outside its authorized scope. No public technical write-up or proof-of-concept code has been identified (Apple Sequoia Advisory, Apple Sonoma Advisory).

Successful exploitation allows a locally running app with low privileges to access sensitive user data that it would not normally be permitted to read, resulting in a high confidentiality impact with no integrity or availability impact. The affected component, UserAccountUpdater, handles user account-related directory operations, meaning exposed data could include personal files or account-related information. There is no evidence of lateral movement capability or remote exploitation potential associated with this vulnerability (Apple Sequoia Advisory, Apple Sonoma Advisory, Apple Ventura Advisory).

There is no public proof-of-concept exploit and no evidence of in-the-wild exploitation at this time. The vulnerability has an EPSS score of approximately 0.019% (0.000190), indicating a very low probability of exploitation in the near term. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. No threat actor attribution has been reported (Feedly).

Apple has released patches addressing this vulnerability in macOS Ventura 13.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.5. Users should update to these minimum versions immediately via System Settings > General > Software Update. No configuration-based workaround has been published; upgrading to a patched release is the only recommended remediation. Additionally, limiting local user privileges and monitoring for unusual data access patterns can reduce risk on unpatched systems (Apple Sequoia Advisory, Apple Sonoma Advisory, Apple Ventura Advisory).