CVE-2025-43395 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that stems from improper handling of symbolic links (symlinks), classified under CWE-59. This flaw allows an application with limited privileges (local access and low privilege) to potentially access protected user data by exploiting how the operating system resolves symlinks before file access. The issue does not require user interaction, which means an app running on the system can leverage this vulnerability autonomously once it has the necessary local privileges. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions prior to the patched releases: macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.2. Apple addressed the issue by improving the symlink handling mechanism to prevent unauthorized access to protected data. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity primarily due to the requirement for local privileges and the limited confidentiality impact without affecting integrity or availability. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, suggesting the vulnerability has not yet been actively weaponized. The vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious local applications or attackers who have gained limited access to a system to escalate their ability to read sensitive user data that should otherwise be protected by macOS security controls.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43395 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of protected user data on macOS systems. While the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, unauthorized data access can lead to privacy violations, intellectual property exposure, and compliance risks, especially under GDPR regulations. Organizations with employees or infrastructure relying on macOS devices are at risk if unpatched systems allow malicious or compromised local applications to exploit this flaw. The low severity and local privilege requirement limit the scope of impact, but insider threats or malware that gains local access could leverage this vulnerability to escalate data access capabilities. This could be particularly concerning for sectors handling sensitive personal or corporate data, such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies within Europe. Failure to patch could also increase the risk profile of macOS endpoints in corporate environments, potentially undermining endpoint security postures.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43395, European organizations should: 1) Immediately deploy the security updates provided by Apple for macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.2 or later versions to ensure the symlink handling vulnerability is patched. 2) Conduct an audit of installed applications and restrict the installation and execution of untrusted or unnecessary local applications to reduce the risk of exploitation by malicious software. 3) Implement strict endpoint security policies that enforce least privilege principles, limiting user and application permissions to only those necessary for business operations. 4) Monitor local system activity for unusual file access patterns that could indicate attempts to exploit symlink vulnerabilities. 5) Educate users about the risks of installing unverified software and the importance of applying system updates promptly. 6) Utilize macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and sandboxing to further limit application capabilities. 7) Incorporate this vulnerability into vulnerability management and patch management workflows to ensure timely remediation.