CVE-2025-43513
📋 TL;DR
A permissions vulnerability in macOS allows applications to access sensitive location information without proper authorization. This affects macOS Tahoe, Sequoia, and Sonoma versions before the patched releases. Users running vulnerable macOS versions are at risk of location privacy 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 →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 applications could continuously track user location, enabling physical surveillance, stalking, or targeted attacks based on location patterns.
Likely Case
Applications with legitimate purposes but excessive permissions could inadvertently collect location data, or adware/malware could harvest location information for profiling.
If Mitigated
With proper application sandboxing and permission controls, only specifically authorized applications could access location data.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user to install or run a malicious application. No public exploit code has been disclosed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Tahoe 26.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/125886
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install available macOS updates. 3. Restart when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Location Services
macosDisable location services for non-essential applications
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Toggle off for suspicious apps
Application Sandboxing Enforcement
macosOnly install applications from trusted sources with proper sandboxing
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized applications from running
- Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious location access attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version: Apple menu > About This Mac. If version is Tahoe < 26.2, Sequoia < 15.7.3, or Sonoma < 14.8.3, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
After update, verify macOS version shows Tahoe 26.2, Sequoia 15.7.3, or Sonoma 14.8.3 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual locationd process activity
- Applications requesting location permissions unexpectedly
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections transmitting location data to unexpected destinations
SIEM Query:
process:locationd AND (event_type:permission_grant OR event_type:location_access)