CVE-2025-43519 is a permissions-related vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows an unprivileged, unauthenticated application to access sensitive user data without requiring any user interaction. The root cause is a permissions misconfiguration (classified under CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions) that permitted apps to bypass intended access controls. This flaw affects multiple macOS versions prior to the patched releases: Tahoe 26.2, Sequoia 15.7.3, and Sonoma 14.8.3. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5, indicating high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high impact on confidentiality (C:H), and no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). Although no exploits have been observed in the wild, the potential for sensitive data exposure is significant. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in December 2025. Apple addressed the issue by implementing additional restrictions on app permissions to prevent unauthorized data access. This vulnerability primarily threatens user privacy and confidentiality, as malicious apps could silently extract sensitive information without detection. It is critical for organizations and users to update affected macOS versions to the fixed releases to mitigate this risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive user data stored or processed on macOS devices. Exposure of such data could lead to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Organizations with macOS endpoints in their IT environment, especially those handling personal or sensitive information, are vulnerable to data leakage if untrusted or malicious applications exploit this flaw. The lack of required privileges and user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the threat surface. Although no integrity or availability impact is noted, the confidentiality breach alone can have severe consequences, including unauthorized disclosure of intellectual property, personal data, or credentials. This vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks within corporate networks. The risk is heightened in sectors with strict data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies across Europe.

1. Immediately apply the security updates released by Apple for macOS Tahoe 26.2, Sequoia 15.7.3, and Sonoma 14.8.3 to all affected systems. 2. Conduct an inventory of macOS devices within the organization to ensure all endpoints are identified and updated. 3. Review and tighten app permission policies using macOS management tools (e.g., MDM solutions) to restrict app access to sensitive data. 4. Implement application whitelisting to prevent installation or execution of unauthorized or untrusted applications. 5. Monitor endpoint behavior for unusual access patterns to sensitive data that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted applications and enforce least privilege principles. 7. Regularly audit installed applications and remove those that are unnecessary or pose security risks. 8. Integrate macOS vulnerability management into the broader organizational patch management and security monitoring processes. 9. Consider network segmentation to limit the impact of compromised macOS devices. 10. Stay informed about any emerging exploit reports or additional patches from Apple.