CVE-2025-43369 is a vulnerability in Apple macOS related to improper handling of symbolic links (symlinks), which can allow an application to access protected user data without requiring privileges. The root cause lies in insufficient access control checks when resolving symlinks, enabling an app to bypass intended protections and read sensitive files. This vulnerability affects confidentiality but does not impact integrity or availability. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, such as running a malicious app that leverages the symlink handling flaw. The issue was addressed by Apple in macOS Tahoe 26 through enhanced symlink resolution logic that prevents unauthorized data access. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.5 (medium), reflecting the limited attack vector (local), low complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction needed. No public exploits have been observed in the wild to date. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), indicating a failure to enforce proper permissions on file system operations involving symlinks. Organizations relying on macOS systems should be aware of this risk, especially in environments where users may install or run untrusted applications. The vulnerability could be leveraged to access sensitive user data such as documents, credentials, or configuration files, potentially leading to privacy breaches or further attacks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality of sensitive user data on macOS devices. While it does not affect system integrity or availability, unauthorized data access can lead to privacy violations, intellectual property theft, or exposure of credentials that could facilitate lateral movement or escalation. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government, which often handle sensitive information on Apple devices, are particularly at risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk in environments with shared workstations, remote employees, or BYOD policies. Failure to patch could result in targeted attacks exploiting this vulnerability to extract confidential data. Additionally, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests a window of opportunity for attackers before widespread patching occurs. European organizations must consider the potential regulatory implications under GDPR if protected personal data is compromised due to this vulnerability.

1. Upgrade all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted applications to run, minimizing the risk of malicious apps exploiting the flaw. 3. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted software and the importance of verifying application sources. 4. Implement endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting suspicious local activities involving symlink manipulation or unauthorized file access. 5. Use macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and full disk encryption to reduce the impact of potential data exposure. 6. Monitor logs and audit file access patterns for anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7. In environments with shared devices, restrict user permissions to limit the ability to execute unauthorized applications. 8. Regularly review and update security policies to incorporate emerging threats related to local privilege escalation and data access vulnerabilities.