CVE-2025-43392 is a vulnerability in Apple Safari and associated Apple operating systems that allows a malicious website to exfiltrate image data across origins due to improper cache handling. This issue is classified under CWE-942 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), indicating a failure in properly isolating cached image data from cross-origin access. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including Safari browser, iOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS prior to their respective 26.1 or 18.7.2 updates. The flaw enables a website to bypass the same-origin policy protections by exploiting cache mechanisms, allowing it to read image data from other origins without requiring any privileges (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as visiting a malicious site. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting a network attack vector with low complexity and no privileges required, but limited to confidentiality impact only. The vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability. Apple addressed the issue by improving cache handling in the specified updates. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the potential for data leakage of sensitive images exists. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where sensitive visual data is accessed via Safari or Apple devices, as it could lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential images across web origins.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a confidentiality risk by allowing malicious websites to exfiltrate image data from Safari browsers and Apple devices. Organizations handling sensitive visual information—such as media companies, healthcare providers, government agencies, and financial institutions—could face data leakage if users visit malicious websites. The impact is limited to confidentiality, with no direct effect on data integrity or system availability. However, leaked images could contain sensitive information, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information, leading to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, the risk is mitigated somewhat by user awareness but remains significant given the widespread use of Apple devices in Europe. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits post-disclosure. Organizations relying heavily on Apple ecosystems should prioritize patching to prevent exploitation.

1. Immediately apply the security updates released by Apple: tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, Safari 26.1, iOS 18.7.2, and iPadOS 18.7.2, and visionOS 26.1. 2. Enforce policies to keep all Apple devices and Safari browsers up to date with the latest patches. 3. Educate users about the risks of visiting untrusted websites and the importance of cautious browsing behavior to reduce the likelihood of user interaction with malicious sites. 4. Implement network-level protections such as web filtering and DNS filtering to block access to known malicious domains that could exploit this vulnerability. 5. Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound data flows that could indicate exfiltration attempts. 6. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting or isolating the use of Safari or Apple devices until patches are applied. 7. Review and audit web applications and internal sites to ensure they do not inadvertently expose sensitive images accessible via Safari. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for data leakage incidents involving browser vulnerabilities.