CVE-2025-43285 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, and macOS Tahoe 26. The vulnerability arises from a permissions issue that could allow an application to access protected user data without proper authorization. The underlying weakness is classified under CWE-284, which relates to improper access control. This means that an app, potentially without elevated privileges, might bypass intended restrictions and read sensitive user information that should otherwise be inaccessible. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 reflects a scenario where the attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but some user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability represents a significant privacy risk because it could expose sensitive user data to malicious or untrusted applications. The issue has been addressed by Apple through additional restrictions in the latest macOS updates, emphasizing the importance of applying these patches to mitigate the risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a considerable risk to the confidentiality of sensitive user data on macOS devices. Organizations that rely on Apple hardware and software, particularly in sectors handling personal data such as finance, healthcare, and government, could face data leakage incidents if unpatched systems are exploited. The exposure of protected user data could lead to violations of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), resulting in legal penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, the requirement for local access and user interaction means insider threats or social engineering attacks could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized data access. The impact is heightened in environments where macOS devices are used for processing or storing critical or regulated information. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach alone is significant enough to warrant urgent attention.

European organizations should prioritize the deployment of the latest macOS updates—Sequoia 15.7, Sonoma 14.8, and Tahoe 26—that contain the fix for this vulnerability. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to limit the installation and execution of untrusted or unnecessary applications on macOS devices. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions tailored for macOS can help monitor for suspicious local activities indicative of exploitation attempts. User training to recognize and avoid social engineering tactics that might trigger user interaction-based exploits is critical. Additionally, organizations should review and tighten macOS privacy and security settings, restricting app permissions to the minimum necessary. Regular audits of installed applications and their permissions can help identify potential risks. For highly sensitive environments, consider isolating macOS devices or limiting their network access to reduce the attack surface.