CVE-2025-43364 is a sandbox escape vulnerability in Apple macOS identified as a race condition flaw. Sandboxing is a critical security mechanism that restricts applications to a limited environment, preventing them from accessing unauthorized system resources or data. This vulnerability arises from a race condition that allows an app to break out of its sandbox, potentially circumventing these restrictions. The issue was addressed by Apple through additional validation checks in macOS Sonoma 14.8 and macOS Sequoia 15.7, indicating that earlier versions remain vulnerable. The exact affected versions are unspecified, but any macOS version prior to these patches could be at risk. No public exploits have been reported, suggesting limited or no active exploitation at this time. The lack of a CVSS score means the severity must be assessed based on the nature of the vulnerability: sandbox escapes typically allow privilege escalation or unauthorized access to system resources, which can severely impact system confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, increasing its risk profile. This flaw could be leveraged by malicious applications to perform unauthorized actions, access sensitive data, or install persistent malware, undermining the security posture of affected systems.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-43364 could be significant, especially for those relying heavily on macOS systems in sensitive environments such as finance, government, healthcare, and technology sectors. A successful sandbox escape could allow attackers to bypass application-level restrictions, leading to unauthorized access to confidential information, data exfiltration, or the installation of persistent malware. This could compromise the integrity of critical systems and disrupt business operations. Given the widespread use of macOS in professional and creative industries across Europe, the vulnerability poses a risk to intellectual property and personal data protection. Additionally, organizations subject to strict data privacy regulations like GDPR could face compliance issues if a breach occurs due to exploitation of this vulnerability. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the potential for future exploitation necessitates proactive mitigation to prevent escalation of privileges and lateral movement within networks.

European organizations should immediately verify their macOS versions and apply the security updates macOS Sonoma 14.8 and macOS Sequoia 15.7 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application whitelisting to limit the installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications that could attempt to exploit sandbox escapes. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for anomalous behaviors indicative of sandbox breakout attempts, such as unexpected access to system resources or privilege escalations. Regularly audit and restrict user permissions to minimize the impact of a compromised application. Encourage users to avoid installing software from unverified sources and maintain robust security awareness training. Network segmentation can also limit the lateral movement potential if an attacker exploits this vulnerability. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans tailored to macOS environments to ensure rapid recovery in case of compromise.