CVE-2025-43516 is a session management vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows a user with Voice Control enabled to potentially transcribe another user's activity. The root cause is insufficient session boundary enforcement, categorized under CWE-384 (Session Fixation). This flaw enables a local user with limited privileges (PR:L) to access voice transcription data from other users without requiring any user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability affects unspecified macOS versions prior to the patched releases: macOS Tahoe 26.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.3. Apple addressed this issue by implementing improved session checks to ensure that voice transcription data is correctly isolated per user session. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity primarily due to the limited confidentiality impact (C:L), no impact on integrity or availability, and the requirement for local privileges. No public exploits have been reported, and the attack vector is local, meaning an attacker must have access to the device and Voice Control enabled. This vulnerability poses a privacy risk as it could allow unauthorized eavesdropping on user activity via voice transcription. It does not directly compromise system integrity or availability, but it could lead to sensitive information disclosure if exploited.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-43516 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information through voice transcription leakage. Organizations with shared or multi-user macOS environments, such as public workstations or shared devices, are at higher risk. The vulnerability could undermine user privacy and confidentiality, especially in sectors handling sensitive data like finance, healthcare, and government. Although the severity is low, the risk is magnified in environments where Voice Control is enabled by default or used extensively for accessibility. The impact is less critical for organizations that restrict Voice Control usage or have strict device access controls. However, failure to patch could expose organizations to insider threats or unauthorized local users who can exploit this flaw to monitor other users' activities. This could lead to compliance issues under European data protection regulations such as GDPR if personal or sensitive data is inadvertently disclosed.

To mitigate CVE-2025-43516, European organizations should: 1) Immediately update all affected macOS devices to the patched versions: macOS Tahoe 26.2, Sequoia 15.7.3, or Sonoma 14.8.3. 2) Audit and restrict the use of Voice Control, especially on shared or multi-user systems, to minimize unnecessary exposure. 3) Implement strict local user access controls to prevent unauthorized users from enabling or exploiting Voice Control features. 4) Educate users about the risks of leaving Voice Control enabled in environments where multiple users have access. 5) Monitor and log Voice Control usage where possible to detect anomalous transcription activity. 6) Review and update privacy policies and compliance documentation to reflect the mitigation of this vulnerability. 7) Consider disabling Voice Control on devices that do not require it, especially in sensitive operational environments. These steps go beyond generic patching by focusing on operational controls and user awareness to reduce the attack surface.