CVE-2025-46297 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS that stems from a permissions issue allowing an application to access protected files within an App Sandbox container. The App Sandbox is a security mechanism designed to isolate apps and restrict their access to system resources and user data, thereby limiting the potential damage from malicious or compromised applications. This vulnerability arises because the sandbox restrictions were insufficiently enforced, permitting apps to bypass intended access controls and read files that should have been inaccessible. The issue was addressed by Apple in the macOS Tahoe 26.2 update, which introduced additional restrictions to the sandbox environment to close this access gap. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but user interaction (UI:R) is necessary. The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H) with no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). No known exploits have been reported in the wild, suggesting limited active exploitation at this time. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), highlighting that the root cause is inadequate enforcement of permissions within the sandbox. While the affected versions are unspecified, it is implied that all macOS versions prior to Tahoe 26.2 are vulnerable. This vulnerability could allow malicious or compromised applications to access sensitive user or system files, potentially leading to data leakage or privacy violations.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-46297 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored within the macOS App Sandbox environment. This could include personal data, intellectual property, or confidential business documents. Sectors such as finance, healthcare, legal, and creative industries that rely heavily on macOS devices for their workflows are particularly at risk. The confidentiality breach could lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, resulting in legal penalties and reputational damage. Since the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the risk of data manipulation or service disruption is low. However, the ease of local exploitation with user interaction means that insider threats or social engineering attacks could leverage this flaw. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits post-disclosure. Organizations with remote workforces using macOS devices should be vigilant, as compromised endpoints could be an entry point for broader network intrusion or data exfiltration.

1. Immediately apply the macOS Tahoe 26.2 update across all organizational devices to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only apps from trusted sources such as the Apple App Store or verified enterprise deployments. 3. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring and alerting on unusual file access patterns within sandboxed environments. 4. Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted applications or links that could trigger exploitation attempts requiring user interaction. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and sandbox permissions to identify and remediate any unauthorized or suspicious software. 6. Utilize macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Full Disk Encryption to add layers of defense. 7. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting local user privileges to minimize the risk of local exploitation. 8. Monitor security advisories from Apple and threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploit activity related to this vulnerability.