CVE-2025-43328 is a permissions-related vulnerability affecting Apple macOS, specifically addressed in the macOS Tahoe 26 release. The issue stems from insufficient restrictions on app permissions, allowing a malicious or compromised application with limited privileges (low-level local access) to access sensitive user data without requiring user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which relates to improper access control. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity level. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have local access to the system, and the attack complexity is low (AC:L), so exploitation does not require special conditions. Privileges required are low (PR:L), meaning the attacker needs some limited user privileges but not administrative rights. No user interaction (UI:N) is needed, and the scope is unchanged (S:U). The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and the affected macOS versions are unspecified, though the fix is included in macOS Tahoe 26. This vulnerability could allow unauthorized apps to read sensitive user data, potentially leading to privacy breaches or data leakage if exploited.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-43328 is relatively limited due to its low severity score and local attack vector. However, organizations with macOS endpoints, especially those handling sensitive personal or corporate data, could face privacy risks if malicious apps gain access to sensitive user information. This is particularly relevant for sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR, where unauthorized data access could lead to compliance violations and reputational damage. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, so operational disruption is unlikely. Nonetheless, targeted attacks leveraging this vulnerability could facilitate espionage or data exfiltration on compromised devices. Organizations with remote or hybrid workforces using macOS devices should be aware of this risk, as local access could be gained through physical access or via compromised user accounts.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43328, European organizations should prioritize updating all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed with additional permission restrictions. Implement strict application control policies to limit installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring unusual access patterns to sensitive user data. Enforce least privilege principles for user accounts to minimize the risk from low-privilege local attackers. Additionally, conduct regular security awareness training to prevent social engineering that could lead to local access compromise. For environments where patching is delayed, consider restricting physical access to macOS devices and using disk encryption to protect data confidentiality. Monitoring for suspicious local activity and auditing app permissions can further reduce exploitation risk.