CVE-2025-43378 is a permissions-related vulnerability in Apple macOS operating systems, specifically addressed in the updates macOS Sequoia 15.7.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.1. The vulnerability arises from insufficient restrictions on app permissions, allowing a malicious or compromised application to access sensitive user data without proper authorization. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200, indicating an exposure of sensitive information. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium), with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, meaning the attack requires local access and user interaction but no privileges, impacts confidentiality significantly, and does not affect integrity or availability. The flaw could be exploited by tricking a user into running a malicious app locally, which then accesses sensitive data such as personal files or credentials. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a risk especially in environments where users may install untrusted applications or where endpoint security is lax. The patch addresses the issue by implementing additional permission restrictions to prevent unauthorized data access. Organizations relying on macOS should prioritize applying these updates to mitigate potential data leakage risks.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily threatens the confidentiality of sensitive user data on macOS devices. Industries handling personal, financial, or proprietary information—such as finance, healthcare, legal, and government sectors—are at higher risk if attackers gain local access to endpoints. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threat risks or risks from social engineering attacks that induce users to run malicious apps. Data leakage could lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Organizations with mixed OS environments that include macOS must ensure endpoint security policies and patch management are robust. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation attempts, especially as attackers often reverse-engineer patches to develop exploits.

1. Deploy the security updates macOS Sequoia 15.7.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.1 promptly across all affected systems. 2. Enforce strict application whitelisting and limit installation of apps to trusted sources such as the Apple App Store or enterprise-approved repositories. 3. Educate users on the risks of running untrusted applications and the importance of verifying app sources before execution. 4. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring unusual local app behavior and data access patterns. 5. Use macOS built-in privacy controls to restrict app permissions proactively and audit app access to sensitive data regularly. 6. Integrate vulnerability management processes to track and remediate macOS vulnerabilities continuously. 7. Consider network segmentation and access controls to limit the impact of compromised endpoints. 8. Maintain comprehensive backups and incident response plans to address potential data breaches swiftly.