CVE-2025-5255

The Phoenix Codes configuration on macOS, specifically the presence of entitlements: com.apple.security.cs.allow-dyld-environment-variables and com.apple.security.cs.disable-library-validation allows for Dynamic Library (Dylib) injection. A local attacker with unprivileged access can use environment variables like DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES to successfully inject code in applications context and bypass Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC). Acquired resource access is limited to previously granted permissions by the user. Access to other resources beyond granted-permissions requires user interaction with a system prompt asking for permission.

This issue was fixed in commit 0c75fb57f89d0b7d9b180026bc2624b7dcf807da

Weakness

During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.

Potential Mitigations

• Compartmentalize the system to have “safe” areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
• Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/127.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/81.html

References

• https://cert.pl/en/posts/2025/06/tcc-bypass/
• https://github.com/phcode-dev/phoenix-desktop/pull/623/commits/0c75fb57f89d0b7d9b180026bc2624b7dcf807da
• https://phcode.dev/