CVE-2025-43299 is a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability identified in Apple macOS and related operating systems such as iOS and iPadOS. The root cause is insufficient input validation (CWE-20) within a system component that can be triggered by a local application. An unprivileged app, requiring user interaction, can exploit this flaw to cause the system to crash or become unresponsive, effectively denying service to legitimate users. The vulnerability affects macOS versions prior to Sonoma 14.8 and Sequoia 15.7, as well as iOS and iPadOS versions before 18.7. Apple has released patches in these versions to address the issue by improving validation mechanisms. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is limited to availability (A:H) with no confidentiality or integrity impact. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, indicating limited active exploitation at this time. This vulnerability primarily threatens system availability and could disrupt operations if exploited, especially in environments relying heavily on Apple devices. The lack of remote exploitability and requirement for user interaction reduce the overall risk but do not eliminate it, particularly in environments where untrusted or malicious apps might be installed.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43299 is operational disruption due to denial-of-service conditions on Apple devices. Organizations relying on macOS, iOS, or iPadOS for critical business functions could experience system crashes or unresponsiveness, leading to productivity loss and potential downtime. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and technology, which often use Apple hardware for secure communications and workflows, may be particularly affected. The vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, but availability issues can indirectly affect service delivery and user trust. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or social engineering attacks could be vectors. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future attacks. European organizations with strict compliance requirements should prioritize patching to maintain operational resilience and regulatory adherence.

1. Apply the latest Apple security updates immediately, specifically macOS Sonoma 14.8, Sequoia 15.7, iOS 18.7, and iPadOS 18.7 or later versions that contain the fix. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted apps to reduce the risk of malicious apps triggering the vulnerability. 3. Implement endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous app behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted applications and the importance of avoiding suspicious prompts requiring interaction. 5. Utilize mobile device management (MDM) tools to centrally manage patch deployment and application whitelisting on Apple devices. 6. Monitor system logs and performance metrics for signs of denial-of-service conditions that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7. Limit local user privileges where possible to reduce the likelihood of unprivileged apps causing system instability. 8. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing denial-of-service scenarios on Apple platforms to minimize downtime.