CVE-2025-43319 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apple's macOS operating system. The flaw allows an application to potentially access protected user data without proper authorization. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms (CWE-284), where an app can bypass intended restrictions and read sensitive information. Exploitation requires local access (Attack Vector: Local), no privileges (Privileges Required: None), but does require user interaction (User Interaction: Required), such as running or opening the malicious app. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (Confidentiality: High) but does not affect integrity or availability. The issue was addressed by Apple through removal of the vulnerable code in macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, and macOS Tahoe 26. No known exploits are currently in the wild. The vulnerability is rated with a CVSS 3.1 score of 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting the moderate risk due to the need for user interaction and local access, but the high confidentiality impact if exploited. This vulnerability highlights the risk of unauthorized data access on macOS systems by malicious or compromised applications that users may inadvertently run.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality of sensitive user data on macOS endpoints. Organizations with macOS devices used by employees handling personal, financial, or proprietary information could face data leakage if a malicious app is executed. This could lead to privacy violations under GDPR, reputational damage, and potential regulatory penalties. The requirement for user interaction and local access reduces the likelihood of widespread automated exploitation but does not eliminate targeted attacks or insider threat scenarios. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government, where sensitive data is common and macOS usage is prevalent, are particularly at risk. The vulnerability could also be leveraged in multi-stage attacks where initial access is gained through social engineering or phishing to deploy malicious apps. Overall, the impact is moderate but significant enough to warrant prompt remediation to protect sensitive data and comply with European data protection regulations.

European organizations should ensure all macOS devices are updated to the fixed 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 using Apple’s built-in tools such as Gatekeeper and System Integrity Protection (SIP) to restrict installation and execution of untrusted applications. User education is critical to reduce the risk of running malicious apps, emphasizing caution with unknown software and phishing attempts. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions tailored for macOS can help detect suspicious app behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Regular audits of installed applications and monitoring for anomalous data access patterns can also help identify potential exploitation. Finally, enforcing least privilege principles and using managed device profiles via Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions can further reduce attack surface and improve security posture against such vulnerabilities.