CVE-2025-43246 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems prior to versions Sequoia 15.6 and Sonoma 14.7.7. The vulnerability allows a malicious application to access sensitive user data without requiring privileges or authentication, but it does require user interaction. The root cause is related to insufficient access control checks, categorized under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). Specifically, an app can bypass intended restrictions and read sensitive information that should be protected by the OS. This could include personal files, credentials, or other private data stored or accessible on the system. The vulnerability does not impact system integrity or availability but compromises confidentiality. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium), with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), no integrity impact (I:N), and no availability impact (A:N). Apple addressed this issue by implementing improved access checks in the specified macOS versions. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and the affected versions are unspecified but presumably all versions before the patched releases. The vulnerability highlights the risk of local apps gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data due to insufficient OS-level enforcement.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant confidentiality risk, especially for entities using macOS devices in environments handling sensitive or regulated data such as personal information, intellectual property, or financial records. Attackers could leverage this flaw to extract confidential user data from compromised or malicious applications, potentially leading to data breaches, privacy violations, or regulatory non-compliance under GDPR. Since the attack requires local access and user interaction, the threat is more relevant in scenarios where endpoint security is weak, or users are tricked into running malicious apps. The impact is heightened for sectors with high data sensitivity such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government agencies. Although integrity and availability are not affected, the exposure of sensitive data can lead to reputational damage, legal penalties, and loss of customer trust. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability details become widely known.

European organizations should prioritize updating macOS devices to versions Sequoia 15.6 or Sonoma 14.7.7 or later to ensure the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to prevent installation or execution of untrusted or unsigned apps, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting this flaw. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions should be configured to monitor for suspicious local app behaviors and user interactions that could indicate exploitation attempts. User awareness training is critical to minimize risky behaviors such as running unknown applications or clicking on unverified prompts. Additionally, applying least privilege principles on macOS endpoints, including restricting local user permissions and using macOS security features like System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Privacy Preferences Policy Control (PPPC), can help limit app access to sensitive data. Regular audits of installed applications and their permissions will also help identify potential risks. Finally, organizations should maintain robust data encryption and backup strategies to mitigate data exposure consequences.