Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2025-31182 is an Apple platform flaw where an app may delete files it lacks permission to delete. Apple fixed it with improved symlink handling across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS releases. The business risk is unauthorized file loss on unmanaged or unpatched Apple devices.
Executive priority
Prioritize patch compliance for managed Apple fleets, especially executive, developer, and shared-use devices. No active exploitation is cited, but unauthorized deletion risk and critical scoring justify expedited remediation.
Technical view
The source describes improper handling of symlinks leading to unauthorized file deletion, mapped to CWE-862. Apple lists fixes in iOS/iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, tvOS 18.4, visionOS 2.4, and watchOS 11.4. The CVSS vector is 9.8 critical, though Apple’s wording indicates an app-based condition.
Likely exposure
Organizations are exposed where Apple devices run versions earlier than the fixed releases. Exact vulnerable version ranges are not provided in the bundle; inventory should compare each platform against Apple’s fixed versions.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not cite CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. Treat this as a high-priority patching issue because of critical scoring and broad Apple platform coverage, not because exploitation is confirmed.
Researcher notes
The record’s CVSS vector indicates network, no privileges, and no user interaction, while Apple’s description says an app may delete files. That inconsistency limits exploitability conclusions. Do not assume remote exploitability without additional vendor or researcher evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Update iOS and iPadOS devices to 18.4 or later.
- Update macOS Sequoia to 15.4 or later.
- Update macOS Sonoma to 14.7.5 or later.
- Update macOS Ventura to 13.7.5 or later.
- Update tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS to Apple’s fixed releases.
- Check Apple advisories for any later platform-specific guidance.
Validation and detection
- Use MDM or asset inventory to list Apple OS versions.
- Flag devices below the fixed versions named by Apple.
- Confirm security updates installed successfully after reboot.
- Review endpoint telemetry for unusual unauthorized file deletion patterns.
- Track exceptions where devices cannot upgrade immediately.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-862: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup
Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-31182 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122371CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122373CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122374CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122375CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122376CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122377CVE reference, apple
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/122378CVE reference, apple
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Authorization
Missing Authorization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.