CVE-2025-43448 is a sandbox escape vulnerability identified in Apple macOS and other Apple operating systems such as iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS. The root cause lies in insufficient validation of symbolic links (symlinks), which allows a malicious application to break out of its restricted sandbox environment. Sandboxing is a critical security mechanism that confines applications to a limited set of resources and privileges, preventing them from accessing or modifying system files or other apps' data. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker with low-level privileges can manipulate symlinks to access or modify files outside the sandbox, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure, integrity violations, or denial of service. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is local (AV:L), requires low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), but can cause a scope change (S:C) affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent (C:L/I:L/A:L). The vulnerability was addressed by Apple through improved symlink validation in OS versions 26.1 and later for the affected platforms. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the publication date, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a candidate for targeted local attacks or post-exploitation lateral movement. The CWE associated is CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access), indicating a failure to securely handle symbolic links. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where untrusted or less-trusted apps run on Apple devices, including enterprise and critical infrastructure contexts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-43448 can be significant, especially in sectors relying heavily on Apple devices such as finance, government, healthcare, and technology. A successful sandbox escape could allow a malicious or compromised app to access sensitive data beyond its intended scope, potentially leading to data breaches or intellectual property theft. It could also facilitate privilege escalation or lateral movement within a network if attackers gain footholds on endpoint devices. The integrity of critical system files could be compromised, resulting in system instability or denial of service. Although exploitation requires local access and low privileges, the absence of required user interaction lowers the barrier for automated or stealthy attacks once initial access is obtained. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms, increasing the attack surface for organizations using a diverse set of Apple devices. Given the medium severity, the risk is moderate but should not be underestimated in high-security environments. Failure to patch could expose organizations to advanced persistent threats (APTs) or insider threats leveraging this flaw to bypass security controls.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Prioritize deployment of Apple’s security updates for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS to versions 26.1 or later, or the respective security patch versions listed. 2) Enforce strict application whitelisting and code signing policies to reduce the risk of untrusted apps running on endpoints. 3) Monitor local system logs and security telemetry for unusual file system activity indicative of symlink manipulation or sandbox escape attempts. 4) Limit local user privileges and restrict installation of software to trusted administrators to minimize the chance of local exploitation. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous behaviors related to sandbox escapes or privilege escalations. 6) Conduct regular security awareness training emphasizing the risks of installing untrusted applications. 7) For critical systems, consider network segmentation to contain potential lateral movement from compromised Apple devices. 8) Maintain an inventory of Apple devices and their OS versions to ensure timely patch management. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access, monitoring for specific attack vectors, and enforcing strict application controls.