CVE-2025-43266 is a sandbox escape vulnerability in Apple macOS identified as a permissions issue that was addressed by Apple through additional restrictions in macOS Sequoia 15.6, Sonoma 14.7.7, and Ventura 13.7.7. The vulnerability allows an application running within the macOS sandbox environment to break out of these restrictions, potentially gaining access to resources or data outside its intended scope. The sandbox is a critical security mechanism designed to isolate applications and limit their access to system resources and user data. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.1, reflecting a medium severity with an attack vector of local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No public exploits have been observed, and the vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in July 2025. The affected versions are not explicitly detailed but are understood to be macOS versions prior to the patched releases. This vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious or compromised app to access or modify data beyond its sandbox, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure or system integrity violations.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-43266 is the potential for malicious applications to escape the macOS sandbox, thereby bypassing a fundamental security boundary. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive user data or system resources that should be isolated, compromising confidentiality and integrity. Although availability is not directly impacted, the breach of sandbox containment can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation or persistence mechanisms. Organizations relying on macOS for sensitive operations or handling confidential data face increased risk of data leakage or system compromise if unpatched. The local attack vector means that attackers require some form of local access, which could be achieved through social engineering, malware delivery, or insider threats. The absence of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access is obtained. Given the widespread use of macOS in enterprise, creative industries, and government sectors, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk that could be leveraged in targeted attacks or by malware to expand control within affected systems.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43266, organizations should immediately apply the security updates provided by Apple for macOS Sequoia 15.6, Sonoma 14.7.7, and Ventura 13.7.7 or later. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application whitelisting and monitor for unauthorized or suspicious applications attempting to run on macOS endpoints. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous sandbox escape behaviors or privilege escalation attempts. Limit local access to trusted users and enforce strong access controls and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of initial compromise. Regularly audit installed applications and remove or restrict those not required or from untrusted sources. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified software and the importance of applying system updates promptly. For high-security environments, consider additional sandboxing or containerization technologies and continuous monitoring of system integrity and logs for signs of exploitation attempts.