CVE-2025-43281
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a local privilege escalation vulnerability in macOS where improper authentication allows a local attacker to gain elevated privileges. It affects macOS systems before version 15.6. Users with local access to vulnerable systems are at risk.
💻 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 local access gains full root/system privileges, enabling complete system compromise, data theft, persistence installation, and lateral movement.
Likely Case
Local users or malware with initial access escalate to administrative privileges, bypassing security controls and installing additional payloads.
If Mitigated
With proper patch management and least privilege principles, impact is limited to isolated systems with immediate detection and remediation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access but likely straightforward to exploit given the authentication bypass nature (CWE-287).
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Sequoia 15.6
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/124149
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install macOS Sequoia 15.6 update. 3. Restart when prompted.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict local user access to essential personnel only
- Implement application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized program execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version: if earlier than 15.6, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version is 15.6 or later after update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected privilege escalation events in system logs
- Authentication bypass attempts in security logs
Network Indicators:
- None - local exploitation only
SIEM Query:
source="macOS" AND (event_type="privilege_escalation" OR auth_result="bypass")