CVE-2025-46283 is a logic vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that allows an application to access sensitive user data due to improper validation mechanisms. The flaw is categorized under CWE-200, indicating an information exposure issue. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), meaning a user must run or interact with a malicious app locally (AV:L). The attack complexity is low (AC:L), suggesting exploitation is straightforward once the app is executed. The vulnerability affects unspecified versions of macOS prior to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.2, where Apple addressed the issue by improving validation logic to prevent unauthorized data access. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), with a vector indicating high confidentiality impact (C:H), no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N), and unchanged scope (S:U). No public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability could allow malicious or compromised applications to bypass normal security controls and access sensitive user data, potentially including personal files, credentials, or other confidential information stored or accessible on the device. This poses a privacy and data protection risk, especially in environments where sensitive or regulated data is handled. The fix requires updating to macOS Tahoe 26.2, which implements improved validation checks to close the logic flaw. Organizations should ensure timely patch deployment and review application permissions and installation policies to reduce the attack surface.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-46283 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. This could lead to privacy violations, intellectual property theft, or leakage of regulated data subject to GDPR and other compliance frameworks. The vulnerability's local attack vector means that threat actors would need to convince users to run malicious apps or gain local access, which could occur via phishing, social engineering, or insider threats. The medium severity rating reflects moderate risk but with significant confidentiality impact. Organizations with macOS endpoints in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and technology are at greater risk due to the sensitivity of their data. Data breaches resulting from exploitation could lead to regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and operational disruptions. Since no integrity or availability impacts are noted, the threat is primarily data exposure rather than system compromise or denial of service. However, the ease of exploitation and user interaction requirement necessitate strong endpoint security controls and user awareness. Failure to patch promptly increases exposure duration and risk of exploitation as attackers develop proof-of-concept or weaponized payloads.

1. Immediately update all macOS devices to macOS Tahoe 26.2 or later, as this version contains the fix for CVE-2025-46283. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and verified apps to run, leveraging Apple’s notarization and Gatekeeper features. 3. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for unusual app behaviors or unauthorized data access attempts. 4. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted applications and the importance of avoiding suspicious downloads or links to reduce social engineering vectors. 5. Regularly audit and restrict app permissions to the minimum necessary, especially access to sensitive data and system resources. 6. Employ multi-factor authentication and strong access controls on devices to limit local access by unauthorized users. 7. Monitor security advisories from Apple and threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploit reports or indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability. 8. Consider network segmentation and data encryption to limit the impact of any potential data exposure from compromised endpoints. 9. Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on endpoint security to identify and remediate gaps. 10. Maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling data exposure incidents involving macOS devices.