CVE-2025-43473
📋 TL;DR
A macOS vulnerability allows applications to access sensitive user data due to improper state management. This affects macOS Tahoe versions before 26.1. Users running vulnerable macOS versions are at risk of data exposure.
💻 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
Malicious app could access and exfiltrate sensitive user data including passwords, documents, or personal information without user consent.
Likely Case
Malicious or compromised applications could access user data they shouldn't have permission to read, potentially leading to data theft.
If Mitigated
With proper app sandboxing and security controls, impact would be limited to data accessible within the app's normal permissions.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires a malicious or compromised application to be installed and executed on the target system.
🛠️ 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. Click General 3. Click Software Update 4. Install macOS Tahoe 26.1 update 5. Restart when prompted
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict App Installation
allOnly install applications from trusted sources like the Mac App Store or identified developers
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application allowlisting to restrict which applications can run
- Use macOS privacy controls to limit application access to sensitive data locations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is macOS Tahoe and build number is before 26.1, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version shows 26.1 or higher in System Settings > General > About📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual application access to protected directories
- Privacy permission violations in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound data transfers from applications
SIEM Query:
source="macOS" AND (event="privacy_violation" OR event="sandbox_violation")