CVE-2025-43241 is a sandbox escape vulnerability in Apple macOS that arises from a permissions misconfiguration allowing an application to read files outside its designated sandbox environment. The sandbox is a core security mechanism in macOS designed to isolate applications and restrict their access to system resources and user data. This vulnerability violates the principle of least privilege by enabling unauthorized file access, potentially exposing sensitive user or system information. The issue was identified and fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.6, Sonoma 14.7.7, and Ventura 13.7.7 through enhanced sandbox restrictions. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, with no elevated privileges necessary, which limits remote exploitation but still poses a risk if a malicious or compromised app is installed. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), highlighting the failure to enforce correct permissions. Although no known exploits have been observed in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to gather confidential data from protected areas of the file system, potentially aiding further attacks or data leakage. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 reflects a medium severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, unchanged scope, high confidentiality impact, and no impact on integrity or availability.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-43241 is on confidentiality, as unauthorized file reads outside the sandbox can expose sensitive user or system data. This can lead to privacy breaches, leakage of credentials, personal information, or proprietary data. While the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the exposure of confidential information can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation, social engineering, or targeted exploitation. Organizations relying on macOS for critical operations, especially those handling sensitive data (e.g., healthcare, finance, government), face increased risk of data compromise if unpatched. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits the threat to scenarios where malicious apps are installed or users are tricked into executing harmful actions. However, given the widespread use of macOS in enterprise and consumer environments, the vulnerability could be exploited in insider threat scenarios or through supply chain attacks involving malicious applications. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future exploitation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43241, organizations and users should promptly update affected macOS systems to the patched versions: macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, or macOS Ventura 13.7.7. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict application installation policies, limiting software sources to trusted vendors and using Apple’s notarization and Gatekeeper features to reduce the risk of malicious app installation. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting suspicious local activity and sandbox escapes. Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted applications and the importance of user interaction in exploitation scenarios. Regularly audit and monitor file system access patterns for anomalies that could indicate sandbox violations. Implement least privilege principles for user accounts and restrict local administrative rights to minimize the impact of local exploits. For environments with high security requirements, consider using macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and FileVault encryption to further protect sensitive data.