CVE-2025-46290
Apple Macos ≤ 14.8.4
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2025-46290 is a high-severity Protection Mechanism Failure (CWE-693) vulnerability in Apple Macos. Its CVSS base score is 7.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism (T1548); ranked in the top 44% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and AC-4 (Information Flow Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2025-46290 is a logic issue addressed through improved checks in multiple Apple operating systems and platforms. The vulnerability affects iOS and iPadOS prior to versions 18.7.3 and 26.2, macOS Sequoia prior to 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma prior to 14.8.4, macOS Tahoe prior to 26.2, visionOS prior to 26.2, and watchOS prior to 26.2. It is associated with CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure) and CWE-703 (Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions), earning a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H), indicating high severity primarily due to availability impact.
A remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low complexity, requiring no privileges or user interaction. Successful exploitation leads to a denial-of-service condition, disrupting service availability on the targeted device without compromising confidentiality or integrity.
Apple security advisories detail mitigations through patches in the specified versions, as outlined in support documents such as https://support.apple.com/en-us/125884, https://support.apple.com/en-us/125885, https://support.apple.com/en-us/125886, https://support.apple.com/en-us/125890, and https://support.apple.com/en-us/125891. Security practitioners should prioritize updating affected devices to these versions to prevent exploitation.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-207251
Vulnerability Data
A logic issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.3 and iPadOS 18.7.3, iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.8.4, macOS Tahoe 26.2, visionOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2. A remote attacker may…
more
be able to cause a denial-of-service.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 6 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
V6.3.3V6.6.3V10.2.2
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
AC-3 directly requires enforcement of access authorizations via the protection mechanism itself.
AC-4 mandates use of information flow enforcement mechanisms to control data movement.
SC-2 requires separation of user and system functionality as a protection mechanism.
SC-28 requires protection mechanisms for information at rest.
SC-3 requires isolation of security functions from non-security functions.
SC-7 requires boundary protection mechanisms to monitor and control external communications.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Enforcing authentication directly implements a core protection mechanism whose absence or misuse is the CWE.
Defining and enforcing access authorizations is a protection mechanism; proper use prevents the CWE.
Cryptographic and integrity controls are protection mechanisms whose correct deployment mitigates the CWE.
Encryption and integrity protections for transit are explicit protection mechanisms.
Logical network protections are protection mechanisms whose failure matches the CWE.
Secure SDLC practices explicitly require anticipating and correctly handling exceptional conditions during design and coding.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Systematic verification that security mechanisms operate according to defined standards reduces the likelihood that protection mechanisms are bypassed or disabled.
Hardening devices, disabling vulnerable protocols, and maintaining accurate network diagrams reduce the likelihood that a protection mechanism is misconfigured or left in a weak state.
Hardening callouts derived
Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).
Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
- V-248524 OL 8 must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: To provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-693
- V-248525 All OL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at-rest protection. prevents CWE-693
Windows 10 (2 rules)
- V-220865 The Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service must not use Basic authentication. prevents CWE-693
- V-220812 Credential Guard must be running on Windows 10 domain-joined systems. prevents CWE-693
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
- V-225012 Windows Server 2016 must be running Credential Guard on domain-joined member servers. prevents CWE-693
Windows Server 2019 (1 rule)
- V-205907 Windows Server 2019 must be running Credential Guard on domain-joined member servers. prevents CWE-693