# CVE-2025-71215: Trend Micro Apex One privilege escalation in iCore service

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-71215-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-2025-71215 · Severity: info · CVSS 7.8 · Published 2026-05-21

Trend Micro Apex One is an enterprise security platform used to protect endpoints from malware and other threats. A vulnerability in the macOS agent's core service could allow a user who already has limited access to the computer to gain full administrative (root) control. This could allow an attacker to bypass security settings, 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-2025-71215 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-71215 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-71215?** 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-2025-71215?** A patch was published on 2025-07: Addressed in SaaS 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release via ActiveUpdate Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2025-71215 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-71215?** 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

A Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability exists in the iCore service of the Trend Micro Apex One (mac) agent. The flaw is rooted in the lack of proper file path validation during the signature verification process. A local attacker with low-privileged code execution capabilities can exploit this race condition to swap a verified file with a malicious one between the time the service checks the signature and the time it uses the file. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The issue has been addressed in SaaS updates (SaaS 2507 & 2005 Yearly Release) and via ActiveUpdate.

## Affected products

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

## Timeline

- 2025-04-08: disclosed: Vulnerability reported to vendor
- 2025-07: patched: Addressed in SaaS 2507 and 2005 Yearly Release via ActiveUpdate
- 2026-03-03: advisory: Coordinated public release 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-26-141/](https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-141/)

## 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-2025-71214-trend-micro-apex-one-privilege-escalation-in-icore-service)