CVE-2025-43410 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that stems from improper handling of caches related to the Notes application. Specifically, when notes are deleted, remnants of their content may remain accessible in system caches, allowing an attacker with physical access to the device to recover and view these deleted notes. This issue compromises the confidentiality of potentially sensitive information stored in the Notes app. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions prior to the patched releases: macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.2. The root cause is linked to CWE-524, which involves exposure of sensitive information through caching mechanisms. The CVSS v3.1 score is 2.4, reflecting low severity due to the requirement of physical access and no need for authentication or user interaction. The attack vector is physical (AV:P), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability does not impact system integrity or availability, only confidentiality. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, suggesting limited active exploitation. The fix involves improved cache handling to ensure deleted notes are fully purged from accessible caches. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure data deletion and cache management in operating systems, especially for devices that may be physically accessed by unauthorized individuals.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43410 is the potential exposure of sensitive or confidential information contained within deleted notes on macOS devices. This can lead to data leakage, especially if notes contain proprietary business information, credentials, or personal data protected under GDPR. Since exploitation requires physical access, the threat is more pronounced in environments where devices may be lost, stolen, or accessed without supervision, such as in offices with shared workspaces or during travel. The confidentiality breach could undermine trust, lead to regulatory penalties, or facilitate further attacks if sensitive information is recovered. However, the low severity and absence of remote exploitation reduce the overall risk profile. Organizations with strong physical security controls and prompt patch management will mitigate most risks. Still, sectors handling highly sensitive data (e.g., finance, government, healthcare) should be particularly vigilant. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, so operational disruption is unlikely.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43410, European organizations should: 1) Immediately apply the security updates macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, Tahoe 26.2, or Sonoma 14.8.2 to all affected devices to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2) Enforce strict physical security policies, including secure storage of devices, use of cable locks, and controlled access to workspaces to prevent unauthorized physical access. 3) Implement full disk encryption (FileVault) on all macOS devices to protect data at rest, which can prevent access to cached deleted notes even if physical access is gained. 4) Educate users on the risks of leaving devices unattended and encourage secure device handling practices. 5) Regularly audit and monitor device usage and access logs to detect any suspicious physical access attempts. 6) Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions that can alert on unauthorized device access or tampering. 7) For highly sensitive environments, consider disabling or restricting the use of the Notes application or using alternative secure note-taking solutions with stronger data sanitization guarantees.