Link following in Apple macOS
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5. A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA macOS (Apple) Fixed in 13.7.5, 14.7.5, 15.4
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Release ·
Apple macOS 13.7.5, 14.7.5, 15.4
4 records Highest priority Priority LOW 4 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2025-22431 Protection mechanism failure in Apple macOSPriority LOW 37
- TI-2025-22498 Incorrect default permissions in Apple macOSPriority LOW 24
- TI-2025-22501 Improper authentication in Apple macOSPriority LOW 21
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-31198
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xc75-cc6q-49fg
References
More Apple Macos vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-46583 Improper authentication in Apple macOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-28008 Out-of-bounds write in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2025-22441 Apple iOS and iPadOS: An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-22440 Memory corruption in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2025-17951 Out-of-bounds write in Apple Safari KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
- TI-2025-17847 Use after free in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
Sources
- CVE-2025-31198 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-31198 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xc75-cc6q-49fg · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences