CVE-2025-6183
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe StrongDM macOS client incorrectly processed JSON-formatted messages. Attackers could potentially modify macOS system configuration by crafting a malicious JSON message.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe StrongDM macOS client has a vulnerability in its JSON message processing logic. By sending a specially crafted malicious JSON message, an attacker could trigger actions that modify macOS system configuration settings, likely due to improper input validation or unsafe deserialization of JSON data that the client trusts.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- Authentication
- X
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed StrongDM client versionOpen Terminal and run: defaults read /Applications/StrongDM.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleShortVersionString OR check via System Settings > StrongDM > AboutAffected if The installed version is older than the patched version released by StrongDM for this vulnerability
-
Confirm StrongDM client is activeCheck if StrongDM process is running: ps aux | grep -i strongdm OR look for StrongDM icon in the menu barAffected if The StrongDM client is running and processing messages
-
Inspect system configuration for unauthorized changesReview key macOS system settings that could be modified via the vulnerability: System Settings > Privacy & Security, System Settings > Network, and check for unexpected profiles in System Settings > General > VPN & Device ManagementAffected if Any unexpected configuration changes, new profiles, or modified system settings are present that were not authorized by the administrator
-
Review StrongDM logs for suspicious JSON activityCheck StrongDM application logs located in ~/Library/Logs/StrongDM/ or /var/log/strongdm/ for malformed JSON messages or unexpected API callsAffected if Logs contain malformed JSON messages, unexpected deserialization attempts, or messages triggering configuration changes that were not initiated by the user
A user is affected if they have an older version of the StrongDM macOS client that has not been patched, and the client is processing untrusted JSON messages that could modify system configuration.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpdate the StrongDM macOS client to the patched version provided by the vendor. Review and verify macOS system configuration settings for any unauthorized changes.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-6183 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-6183 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data