CVE-2025-43250 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, and macOS Ventura 13.7.7. The vulnerability stems from a path handling issue, categorized under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory). This flaw allows an application to potentially break out of its sandbox environment. Sandboxing is a critical security mechanism in macOS that restricts applications to a limited set of resources and permissions, thereby containing any malicious or unintended behavior within a confined environment. The vulnerability could allow a malicious or compromised app to escape these restrictions, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or access beyond its intended scope. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.0 (medium severity), with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), low integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). This suggests that the vulnerability can be exploited locally without authentication or user interaction, primarily impacting the integrity of the system by allowing unauthorized modification or interference with system components or data. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the vendor has addressed the issue through improved validation of path handling in the specified macOS versions. However, affected versions prior to these patches remain vulnerable.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be significant, especially for those relying heavily on macOS devices in their IT infrastructure. The ability for an app to break out of its sandbox could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive system components or data, potentially enabling further privilege escalation or lateral movement within a network. This could compromise the integrity of critical systems, disrupt business operations, or lead to data manipulation. Although the vulnerability does not directly impact confidentiality or availability, the integrity impact could facilitate more severe attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities or malicious activities. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and technology, which often use macOS devices and handle sensitive data, may face increased risk. Additionally, the local attack vector means that attackers would need some form of local access, which could be achieved through social engineering, insider threats, or exploiting other vulnerabilities to gain initial foothold. The absence of required user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access is obtained. Given the medium severity and the nature of the vulnerability, it is a credible threat that should be addressed promptly to prevent potential exploitation.

European organizations should prioritize patching affected macOS systems by upgrading to macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, or macOS Ventura 13.7.7 as soon as possible. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to limit the installation and execution of untrusted or unnecessary applications, reducing the risk of malicious apps attempting to exploit this vulnerability. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can help monitor for unusual behaviors indicative of sandbox escape attempts. Network segmentation and the principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the potential impact of a compromised device. Regular audits of local user accounts and privileges can reduce the risk of unauthorized local access. Additionally, organizations should educate users about the risks of installing unverified software and maintain robust physical security controls to prevent unauthorized device access. Monitoring Apple security advisories and threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploits related to this vulnerability is also recommended to enable timely response.