CVE-2025-43260 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.6 and macOS Sonoma 14.7.7. The vulnerability allows a malicious application to hijack entitlements that have been granted to other privileged applications. Entitlements in macOS are special permissions that allow apps to access restricted system resources or perform sensitive operations. Hijacking these entitlements means that a less privileged or malicious app could potentially escalate its privileges by assuming the capabilities of a more trusted app, thereby bypassing normal security controls. The root cause relates to improper enforcement of entitlement boundaries, classified under CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.1, indicating a medium severity level, with an attack vector of local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. This vulnerability does not appear to have known exploits in the wild yet. The fix involves improved data protection mechanisms implemented by Apple in the specified macOS versions. Since the affected versions are unspecified beyond the fixed releases, it is likely that all prior versions before these patches are vulnerable.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to environments using macOS systems, especially those running unpatched versions prior to Sequoia 15.6 or Sonoma 14.7.7. The ability for a malicious app to hijack entitlements could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulation of system or application behavior, and potential lateral movement within networks. Confidentiality and integrity of critical information could be compromised, particularly in sectors handling sensitive personal data (e.g., finance, healthcare, government). Since exploitation requires local access but no privileges or user interaction, insider threats or malware that gains initial foothold on a macOS device could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges stealthily. This could undermine endpoint security and complicate incident response efforts. However, the lack of known exploits in the wild and the medium CVSS score suggest that while the threat is credible, it is not currently widespread or critical. Organizations relying heavily on macOS for privileged workflows should prioritize patching to mitigate potential risks.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately update all macOS systems to at least Sequoia 15.6 or Sonoma 14.7.7 to apply the official patches addressing this vulnerability. 2) Enforce strict application whitelisting and code signing policies to prevent unauthorized or untrusted apps from executing on endpoints. 3) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for anomalous entitlement usage or privilege escalation attempts on macOS devices. 4) Limit local access to macOS systems by enforcing strong physical and network access controls, reducing the risk of local exploitation. 5) Conduct regular audits of installed applications and their entitlements to detect any suspicious or unexpected privilege assignments. 6) Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted software and the importance of applying system updates promptly. 7) Integrate vulnerability management processes to track macOS patch levels and ensure timely remediation. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on macOS-specific controls and operational practices tailored to the nature of this entitlement hijacking vulnerability.