CVE-2025-43388 is an injection vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, specifically addressed in the macOS Tahoe 26.1 update. The root cause is insufficient validation of input data within the operating system, classified under CWE-95 (Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code). This flaw allows a local application, which has limited privileges (PR:L), to potentially access sensitive user data without requiring any user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning an attacker must have some level of access to the system to exploit the vulnerability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity primarily due to the limited scope and impact. The vulnerability affects confidentiality (C:L) but does not impact integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, suggesting the vulnerability is not actively exploited yet. The fix involves improved input validation mechanisms implemented by Apple in the latest macOS Tahoe 26.1 release. While the affected versions are unspecified, organizations running macOS versions prior to this update are at risk. This vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious local applications or attackers who have gained limited access to a system to extract sensitive user information, potentially leading to privacy breaches or further attacks.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43388 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS systems. Although the vulnerability requires local access and limited privileges, it could be exploited by malicious insiders or through secondary compromise of endpoints. This poses a risk to confidentiality, especially for organizations handling sensitive personal data, intellectual property, or regulated information under GDPR. The low severity and absence of known exploits reduce immediate risk, but the presence of vulnerable macOS systems in enterprise environments means that attackers could use this vulnerability as part of a multi-stage attack. The impact is more pronounced in sectors with high macOS usage such as creative industries, finance, and government agencies. Failure to patch could lead to data leakage incidents, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. However, the lack of integrity or availability impact limits the scope of potential damage to data confidentiality only.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately upgrade all macOS systems to macOS Tahoe 26.1 or later to apply the patch that fixes the injection vulnerability. 2) Enforce strict application whitelisting and sandboxing policies to limit the ability of local apps to execute untrusted code or access sensitive data. 3) Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for suspicious local activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 4) Conduct regular audits of installed applications and remove or restrict apps that do not require elevated privileges or access to sensitive data. 5) Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted software and enforce least privilege principles to minimize local access risks. 6) Monitor system logs for unusual access patterns or injection attempts that could signal exploitation. 7) Integrate vulnerability management processes to ensure timely patch deployment and verification on all macOS endpoints. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on local privilege management, application control, and proactive monitoring tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.