CVE-2025-43262
📋 TL;DR
A permissions bypass vulnerability in macOS allows USB accessories connected during boot to circumvent USB Restricted Mode security controls. This affects macOS systems with USB Restricted Mode enabled, potentially allowing unauthorized data access or device control. Users of vulnerable macOS versions are impacted.
💻 Affected Systems
- macOS
📦 What is this software?
Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker with physical access could connect a malicious USB device during boot to bypass security restrictions, potentially exfiltrating data, installing malware, or gaining persistent access to the system.
Likely Case
Limited data access or device enumeration by USB accessories that would normally be blocked by USB Restricted Mode, requiring physical access during boot.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if USB Restricted Mode is not enabled or if physical security controls prevent unauthorized device connections during boot.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires physical access during the boot process and knowledge of USB Restricted Mode bypass techniques.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Tahoe 26
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/125110
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings 2. Navigate to General > Software Update 3. Install macOS Tahoe 26 update 4. Restart the system when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable USB Restricted Mode
macOSTemporarily disable USB Restricted Mode to eliminate the vulnerability vector, though this reduces security against USB-based attacks.
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.usb.restrictedmode.plist Disabled -bool true
Physical Security Controls
allImplement physical security measures to prevent unauthorized USB device connections during system boot.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict physical access controls to prevent unauthorized USB connections during boot
- Disable USB Restricted Mode temporarily while evaluating upgrade path to macOS Tahoe 26
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version: if running version prior to Tahoe 26 AND USB Restricted Mode is enabled, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is Tahoe 26 or later via System Settings > General > About, and confirm USB Restricted Mode functions correctly.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- USB device connection logs during boot process in system.log
- Unauthorized USB accessory alerts in security logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic patterns following boot with USB devices connected
SIEM Query:
source="system.log" AND "USB" AND "boot" OR source="security.log" AND "USB Restricted Mode"