CVE-2025-43393
📋 TL;DR
A sandbox escape vulnerability in macOS allows malicious applications to bypass security restrictions and access system resources or other applications' data. This affects macOS systems running versions before Tahoe 26.1. The vulnerability stems from insufficient sandbox permissions enforcement.
💻 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
A malicious app could gain full system access, install persistent malware, access sensitive user data from other applications, or compromise the entire operating system.
Likely Case
Malicious apps could access restricted files, system resources, or data from other sandboxed applications, potentially leading to data theft or privilege escalation.
If Mitigated
With proper app vetting and security controls, the risk is limited to untrusted applications that manage to bypass macOS security checks.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction to install/run a malicious application. No public exploit code is currently known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Tahoe 26.1
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/125634
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings 2. Go to General > Software Update 3. Install macOS Tahoe 26.1 update 4. Restart when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Application Installation
allOnly install applications from trusted sources like the Mac App Store or identified developers
Enable Gatekeeper
allEnsure Gatekeeper is enabled to block apps from unidentified developers
sudo spctl --master-enable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user privileges and limit application installation to essential trusted apps only
- Implement application allowlisting and monitor for unauthorized application execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is earlier than Tahoe 26.1, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version shows 'Tahoe 26.1' or later in System Settings > General > About.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual application behavior, sandbox violation logs in Console.app, unexpected file access patterns
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from sandboxed applications
SIEM Query:
process where parent_process_name contains "sandbox" and event_type contains "violation"