CVE-2025-43259 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically versions prior to macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, and macOS Ventura 13.7.7 where the issue has been addressed. The vulnerability arises from insufficient redaction of sensitive user information on locked devices, allowing an attacker with physical access to potentially view confidential data without needing to authenticate or interact with the device beyond physical presence. The root cause relates to improper handling of sensitive information display or caching on locked screens, categorized under CWE-359 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Through an Information Leak). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.6, reflecting a medium impact primarily on confidentiality, with no impact on integrity or availability. The attack vector is physical (AV:P), requiring no privileges (PR:N) or user interaction (UI:N), and the scope remains unchanged (S:U). No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability was mitigated by Apple through improved redaction techniques in the specified macOS updates, preventing unauthorized viewing of sensitive information on locked devices.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily in environments where macOS devices are used and physical security controls are insufficient. The ability for an attacker with physical access to bypass confidentiality protections on locked devices could lead to exposure of sensitive corporate or personal data, including emails, documents, or other private information visible on the lock screen or through cached previews. This risk is heightened in sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions within Europe, where unauthorized data disclosure can lead to regulatory penalties under GDPR and damage to organizational reputation. However, the lack of impact on integrity and availability limits the threat to data leakage rather than system disruption or manipulation. The medium severity indicates that while the vulnerability is not trivial, it requires physical access, which may reduce the likelihood of widespread exploitation but remains a concern for devices in shared or less secure physical environments.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to the fixed versions: macOS Sequoia 15.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.7, or macOS Ventura 13.7.7. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict physical security policies to limit unauthorized access to devices, including secure storage, use of cable locks, and controlled access to workspaces. Implementing full disk encryption with strong authentication mechanisms can add layers of protection, although this vulnerability specifically targets information visible on locked screens rather than encrypted data at rest. Additionally, organizations should configure lock screen settings to minimize the display of sensitive information, such as disabling notifications or previews on the lock screen. Employee training on the risks of leaving devices unattended and the importance of locking screens when not in use is also critical. For high-security environments, consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools that can alert on suspicious physical access or device tampering.