The Aquarius HelperTool (1.0.003) privileged XPC service on macOS contains multiple flaws…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-266.
Summary
The Aquarius HelperTool (1.0.003) privileged XPC service on macOS contains multiple flaws that allow local privilege escalation. The service accepts XPC connections from any local process without validating the client's identity, and its authorization logic incorrectly calls AuthorizationCopyRights with a NULL reference, causing all authorization checks to succeed. The executeCommand:authorization:withReply: method then interpolates attacker-controlled input into NSTask and executes it with root privileges. A local attacker can exploit these weaknesses to run arbitrary commands as root, create persistent backdoors, or obtain a fully interactive root shell.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:acustica-audio:aquarius_helpertool:1.0.003:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.0.003 | Vulnerable | Acustica-audio |
- cpe:2.3:a:acustica-audio:aquarius_helpertool:1.0.003:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.0.003 Vulnerable ·Acustica-audio
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-65842
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5pfh-rw2m-9j53
References
Sources
- CVE-2025-65842 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-65842 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5pfh-rw2m-9j53 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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