# CVE-2025-71214: Trend Micro Apex One privilege escalation in iCore service

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-71214-trend-micro-apex-one-privilege-escalation-in-icore-service  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-21. Updated: 2026-05-21  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2025-71214 · Severity: info · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-05-21

A security vulnerability exists in the Trend Micro Apex One agent for macOS, which is used to protect corporate endpoints from malware and threats. A local user with limited access to a computer could exploit this flaw to gain full administrative (root) control over the system. This could allow an attacker to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or disable the security software entirely.

Technologies: [Trend Micro Apex One (Mac) Agent](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/apex-one-mac-agent). Vendors: [Trend Micro](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/trend-micro).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2025-71214 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-71214 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-71214?** Informational severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 21 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Trend Micro Apex One (Mac) Agent SaaS versions prior to 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2025-71214?** A patch was published on 2025-07-01: Addressed via SaaS 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release updates Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2025-71214 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-71214?** Check whether you run Trend Micro Apex One (Mac) Agent at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

An origin validation error exists within the iCore service of the Trend Micro Apex One (mac) agent. The vulnerability stems from the service's failure to properly validate the origin of Inter-Process Communication (IPC) messages. A local attacker who has already gained low-privileged code execution on the system can send crafted IPC messages to the iCore service to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The issue was addressed in mid-to-late 2025 via ActiveUpdate and SaaS updates (SaaS 2507 & 2005 Yearly Release).

## Affected products

- Trend Micro Apex One (mac) agent SaaS versions prior to 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release

## Timeline

- 2025-03-30: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to vendor
- 2025-07-01: patched: Addressed via SaaS 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release updates
- 2026-03-03: advisory: Coordinated public release of advisory by ZDI
- 2026-05-21: other: NVD publication date

## References

- [https://success.trendmicro.com/en-US/solution/KA-0022458](https://success.trendmicro.com/en-US/solution/KA-0022458)
- [https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-139/](https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-139/)

## Related threats

- [Trend Micro Apex One (mac) TOCTOU privilege escalation in agent cache](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-71216-trend-micro-apex-one-mac-toctou-privilege-escalation-in-agent)
- [Trend Micro Apex One privilege escalation in iCore service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-71215-trend-micro-apex-one-privilege-escalation-in-icore-service)