CVE-2025-30435 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS where sandboxed applications can access sensitive user data contained within system logs. Sandboxing is a security mechanism designed to isolate applications and restrict their access to system resources and user data. However, in this case, the sandboxing controls were insufficient because system logs contained sensitive information that was not properly redacted. This allowed sandboxed apps, which normally have limited privileges, to read sensitive data from logs, potentially exposing personal or confidential information. The issue was addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.4 by improving the redaction process to remove or mask sensitive information from logs before they become accessible to sandboxed apps. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5, indicating medium severity. The vector metrics indicate that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability poses a risk of data leakage if exploited. The affected versions are unspecified but include macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15.4. The weakness corresponds to CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information).

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data if a malicious or compromised sandboxed application is executed on affected macOS systems. This is particularly concerning for sectors handling personal data, intellectual property, or confidential business information, such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies. The confidentiality breach could result in privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, the risk is somewhat mitigated by the need for an attacker to convince a user to run a malicious app or gain local access. However, insider threats or targeted attacks leveraging social engineering could exploit this vulnerability. The lack of impact on integrity and availability limits the scope to data exposure rather than system disruption or data manipulation.

The primary mitigation is to update all macOS systems to version Sequoia 15.4 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. Organizations should enforce strict patch management policies to ensure timely deployment of security updates. Additionally, restrict the installation and execution of untrusted or unnecessary sandboxed applications through application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions. Employ strict user privilege management to limit local user access and reduce the risk of malicious app execution. Monitor system logs and application behavior for unusual access patterns or attempts to read sensitive data. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of cautious user interaction. For highly sensitive environments, consider additional sandboxing or containerization controls and audit log access permissions. Finally, review and minimize the amount of sensitive information logged by the system where possible to reduce exposure.