CVE-2025-43296 is a logic vulnerability in Apple's macOS Gatekeeper security mechanism, which is responsible for validating and restricting the execution of untrusted applications. The flaw allows an application to bypass Gatekeeper checks, meaning that apps that should be blocked or flagged can run without proper validation. This bypass is due to a logic issue in the validation process, which Apple addressed by improving the validation logic in macOS Tahoe 26. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5, indicating medium severity. The vector indicates that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and some user interaction (UI:R). The impact affects integrity (I:H) but not confidentiality or availability. The vulnerability is related to weaknesses categorized under CWE-703 (Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions), CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery), and CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure), suggesting that the logic flaw may involve improper validation and protection bypass. No public exploits are known, but the potential for malicious apps to run undetected poses a risk. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions of macOS prior to the patched release. Organizations relying on macOS devices should update to macOS Tahoe 26 to remediate this issue.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity of macOS systems by allowing unauthorized applications to execute without Gatekeeper validation. This can lead to the installation and execution of malicious software, potentially enabling further compromise such as persistence, lateral movement, or data manipulation. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity breach can facilitate more severe attacks. Organizations in sectors with high macOS usage, such as creative industries, technology firms, and certain government agencies, may face increased risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or social engineering risks. Failure to patch could lead to targeted attacks exploiting this bypass, especially in environments where macOS security is relied upon to prevent unauthorized software execution.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed with improved Gatekeeper validation. 2. Enforce strict application whitelisting policies using Apple’s Endpoint Security framework or Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to restrict app execution to trusted sources. 3. Educate users about the risks of executing untrusted applications and the importance of Gatekeeper warnings to reduce social engineering risks. 4. Monitor macOS systems for unusual application execution patterns or attempts to bypass security controls. 5. Implement least privilege principles to limit local user capabilities, reducing the chance of exploitation. 6. Regularly audit installed applications and remove any that are unnecessary or untrusted. 7. Maintain up-to-date backups to recover from potential integrity compromises. 8. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting suspicious behaviors related to app execution bypasses.