CVE-2025-43305 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 logic issue that allows a malicious application to bypass certain access controls and gain unauthorized access to private information on the affected systems. The flaw is categorized under CWE-284, which relates to improper access control, indicating that the vulnerability stems from insufficient enforcement of security policies that restrict access to sensitive data. According to the CVSS v3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), the attack requires local access (AV:L), has low attack complexity (AC:L), does not require privileges (PR:N), but does require 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). This means that an attacker with local access who can trick a user into interacting with a malicious app can potentially extract sensitive private information without altering system data or causing denial of service. No known exploits are reported in the wild at this time. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on September 15, 2025, and Apple has addressed it by improving internal checks to prevent unauthorized data access. However, the affected versions are unspecified beyond the patched releases, so systems running earlier versions remain vulnerable. This vulnerability is significant because macOS is widely used in enterprise and personal environments, and unauthorized access to private information can lead to data breaches, privacy violations, and further targeted attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to those using macOS devices within their IT infrastructure, including corporate laptops, desktops, and possibly specialized systems running macOS. The unauthorized access to private information can lead to exposure of sensitive corporate data, intellectual property, or personal employee information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate the risk, especially in environments where endpoint security is weak or where social engineering can be leveraged to induce user interaction. The breach of confidentiality can undermine trust, cause financial losses due to data leakage, and trigger regulatory fines. Organizations with remote or hybrid workforces using macOS devices are particularly vulnerable, as attackers may exploit this vulnerability through malicious apps delivered via phishing or compromised software repositories. Additionally, sectors with high-value data such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies in Europe could face targeted attempts to exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized insights.

European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to the patched versions: macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, or macOS Tahoe 26, as soon as possible. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies, such as using Apple’s Gatekeeper and notarization features to restrict installation of untrusted or unsigned applications. Endpoint protection solutions should be configured to detect and block suspicious local applications attempting to access sensitive data. User awareness training is critical to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks that could induce user interaction with malicious apps. Employing least privilege principles on user accounts and restricting local administrative rights can further reduce the attack surface. Regular audits of installed applications and monitoring for anomalous behavior on macOS endpoints will help detect exploitation attempts. For organizations with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, enforcing compliance with update and security standards is essential. Finally, integrating macOS devices into centralized security monitoring and incident response workflows will enable rapid detection and mitigation of potential breaches stemming from this vulnerability.