CVE-2025-43468 is a vulnerability identified in Intel-based Apple macOS systems that arises from a downgrade issue related to code-signing enforcement. Code-signing is a security mechanism that ensures only trusted and verified applications can execute sensitive operations or access protected data. The flaw allowed an application with limited privileges (low privilege) to bypass or downgrade these code-signing restrictions, thereby gaining unauthorized access to sensitive user data. This vulnerability does not require user interaction to be exploited, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS v3.1 score of 5.5 (medium severity) reflects that the attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacting confidentiality (C:H) but not integrity or availability. Apple addressed this issue by enhancing code-signing restrictions in macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, Tahoe 26.1, and Sonoma 14.8.2. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-347, which relates to improper verification of cryptographic signatures, indicating that the downgrade allowed bypassing signature verification. No public exploits have been reported, but the potential for sensitive data exposure remains significant if unpatched. The vulnerability primarily affects Intel-based Macs, which remain in use despite Apple's transition to ARM-based silicon. Organizations relying on Intel Macs must ensure timely updates to mitigate this risk.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43468 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on affected Intel-based macOS systems. This could lead to data breaches involving personal, financial, or corporate confidential information, undermining privacy and compliance with regulations such as GDPR. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability directly but compromises confidentiality, which can have cascading effects including reputational damage and regulatory penalties. Since exploitation requires local access with low privileges, insider threats or malware that gains initial foothold could leverage this vulnerability to escalate data access. Organizations with significant macOS deployments, especially in sectors like finance, technology, and government, may face increased risk. The lack of required user interaction simplifies exploitation once local access is obtained. However, the absence of known exploits in the wild suggests a window of opportunity for proactive defense. The impact is more pronounced in environments where Intel Macs are prevalent and where sensitive data is stored or processed on these devices.

1. Immediately apply the security updates provided by Apple: macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, Tahoe 26.1, and Sonoma 14.8.2 or later versions that include the fix for CVE-2025-43468. 2. Enforce strict application code-signing policies and verify that only trusted, signed applications are allowed to run, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting downgrade issues. 3. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring local application behavior for unusual access to sensitive data or attempts to bypass code-signing checks. 4. Limit local user privileges and restrict installation of unauthorized software to minimize the attack surface for local privilege escalation or data access. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and their code-signing status to detect any anomalies or downgrade attempts. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of running untrusted applications and the importance of applying timely patches. 7. For organizations with mixed hardware, consider accelerating migration from Intel-based Macs to Apple silicon where feasible, as this vulnerability specifically affects Intel-based systems. 8. Monitor security advisories from Apple and threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploit activity related to this vulnerability.