CVE-2025-46293: macOS Symlink Traversal Allows Unauthorized Data Access

Technical summary

The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of symbolic links (symlinks) during file access operations in macOS. An application operating under standard user privileges can craft or manipulate symlinks to traverse security boundaries and access files that should be restricted to the user. The flaw is categorized under CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access), a well-known class of path traversal issues. The fix involves enhanced symlink verification to ensure that access control checks are enforced before following symlink targets, preventing unauthorized disclosure of confidential data.

Business impact

Organizations deploying macOS in multi-user environments face moderate risk from this vulnerability. Scenarios most at risk include: shared workstations where users may install untrusted applications; development or testing environments where build processes or third-party tools run with user-level access; and managed corporate systems where endpoint security controls may not catch malicious app behavior before it accesses sensitive files. The confidentiality impact is high once exploited, potentially exposing customer data, intellectual property, or personal information stored on affected machines. Availability and integrity are not compromised, limiting the scope to data theft concerns.

Affected systems

Apple macOS systems running versions prior to macOS Sequoia 15.4 are vulnerable. This includes macOS Sequoia 15.0–15.3 and earlier major releases (Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, etc.) unless they receive a backported security patch. Organizations should verify the specific macOS versions in their environment against Apple's official security advisory to confirm which systems require patching.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires local access to the target system and the ability to execute code as a standard user (PR:L in CVSS terms). No network interaction or special user interaction is required once code execution is achieved. However, the attacker must first establish a foothold—either through social engineering to install a malicious app, supply-chain compromise, or insider threat. The vulnerability is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, meaning active exploitation in the wild has not been formally documented at time of publication; however, the straightforward nature of the flaw and low barrier to local code execution make it a plausible post-compromise technique.

Remediation

The authoritative fix is to upgrade to macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later. Users and administrators should check Apple's security advisory for the full list of affected macOS versions and any backported patches for earlier OS releases. No interim mitigations are listed; patching is the recommended path. Evaluate your macOS inventory and prioritize patching critical systems in multi-user or high-risk environments where untrusted software may be installed.

Patch guidance

Apply macOS Sequoia 15.4 or later as soon as practical. Verify the patch version in System Preferences > General > About before and after installation. If you operate earlier macOS releases (Sonoma, Ventura, etc.), consult Apple's official security advisory to determine if a security update addressing CVE-2025-46293 is available for your OS version. Test the update in a non-production environment first if your security change management process requires it. Schedule patching to minimize operational disruption, prioritizing systems that run untrusted third-party applications or operate in shared-user scenarios.

Detection guidance

Detection is challenging because symlink traversal typically leaves minimal forensic traces. Recommend the following approach: (1) Monitor for unexpected file access by applications to known sensitive locations (~/Library/Keychains, ~/Library/Safari, etc.) using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools or macOS audit logs; (2) Review audit logs (log show) for unusual file access patterns or symlink-related events on systems running vulnerable OS versions; (3) Implement application whitelisting policies to restrict which apps can run in your environment; (4) Supplement with behavioral analytics to flag suspicious file access by processes known to be exploiting symlink issues. After patching, these detections should see a reduction in false positives.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability should be patched with moderate priority (within 2–4 weeks) rather than maximum urgency. While the CVSS score of 5.5 and high confidentiality impact warrant timely action, the requirement for local access and user-level privileges limits the attack surface compared to remote or unauthenticated exploits. Prioritize systems in high-risk categories: shared workstations, development machines, or systems processing sensitive data. Standard single-user personal macOS devices pose lower risk unless the user is known to install untrusted software frequently.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 (Medium severity) reflects: local attack vector (AV:L—requires access to the target machine), low attack complexity (AC:L—no special conditions needed), low privilege requirement (PR:L—standard user sufficient), no user interaction (UI:N—automatic once code is running), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H—protected data can be read), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). This score appropriately captures the risk to data confidentiality while acknowledging the prerequisite for local code execution. The lack of KEV designation indicates no widespread active exploitation has been documented by CISA.

Frequently asked questions