CVE-2025-43305 is a logic vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows a malicious application to access private information due to insufficient validation checks within the operating system. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284, indicating an authorization issue where access controls are improperly enforced. Specifically, the flaw permits an unprivileged, local attacker to bypass intended restrictions and read sensitive data that should be protected. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as running a malicious app, but does not require elevated privileges or prior authentication. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions of macOS prior to the patched releases macOS Sonoma 14.8 and macOS Sequoia 15.7, where Apple has implemented improved logic checks to remediate the issue. 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 impact is high on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. This vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to extract sensitive user data from compromised or socially engineered applications, posing a privacy risk to users and organizations relying on macOS systems.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43305 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of private and sensitive information stored or accessible on macOS devices. This could include personal user data, corporate confidential information, or credentials, depending on the data accessible by the malicious app. The confidentiality breach could lead to further attacks such as identity theft, corporate espionage, or targeted phishing campaigns. Since exploitation requires local access and user interaction, the risk is higher in environments where users may install untrusted applications or fall victim to social engineering. Organizations with macOS endpoints in sectors like finance, technology, healthcare, and government are particularly at risk due to the sensitivity of their data. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, so it is less likely to cause system outages or data manipulation. However, the breach of confidentiality alone can have significant regulatory and reputational consequences under European data protection laws such as GDPR.

European organizations should immediately ensure that all macOS devices are updated to at least macOS Sonoma 14.8 or macOS Sequoia 15.7 where the vulnerability is patched. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, organizations should enforce strict application installation policies, limiting installations to trusted sources such as the Apple App Store or enterprise-managed software repositories. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting and blocking suspicious application behaviors. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of installing unknown or untrusted applications and recognizing social engineering attempts. Implement application whitelisting and leverage macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper to reduce the risk of malicious app execution. Regular audits of installed applications and monitoring for anomalous data access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Finally, maintain robust data encryption and access controls to minimize the impact if private information is accessed.