Multipass CVE-2025-5199

The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.3 reflects High severity with moderate exploitability: Attack Vector is Local (AV:L), Attack Complexity is Low (AC:L), and Privileges Required is Low (PR:L), meaning any authenticated user can exploit it without special conditions. The User Interaction flag (UI:R) suggests some user action may be needed (e.g., system restart). Impact is maximal across Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). While EPSS score is not provided in the data, the CVSS vector indicates this is genuinely exploitable by local users without bypass requirements. The lack of KEV status and POC information is notable—if not currently in CISA KEV or widely exploited, this suggests either recent disclosure or limited active exploitation. However, the simplicity of the CWE-276 vulnerability class (file permissions) and the Local attack vector make this a realistic privilege escalation path. Real-world risk is moderate-to-high for macOS Multipass users in multi-user environments or on shared systems; lower risk for single-user development machines.

A non-privileged local user on a shared macOS system running Multipass 1.15.1 or earlier identifies that a Multipass Launch Daemon executable or its configuration file is world-writable or group-writable due to incorrect default permissions. The attacker modifies one of these files to inject shell commands (e.g., adding a reverse shell or installing a persistence mechanism). Upon the next system restart or daemon reload, the Launch Daemon executes the attacker-modified file with root privileges, granting the attacker administrative access. The attacker can then install rootkits, exfiltrate data, or pivot to other systems. The Low Attack Complexity means no special system configuration or race conditions are required—the permissions vulnerability is inherent to the installation. The Local attack vector and UI:R flag suggest the attacker may need to wait for a system restart or administrator action, but this is a minor impediment in typical usage.