CVE-2025-43208: Apple macOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-43208 Overview

CVE-2025-43208 is a permissions issue in Apple macOS that allows a local application to read sensitive location information. Apple addressed the flaw by adding additional restrictions in macOS Tahoe 26. The weakness is classified under [CWE-284] (Improper Access Control) and requires local access with user interaction to exploit. Successful exploitation results in confidentiality impact only, with no integrity or availability consequences. The vulnerability affects the location data protection controls that gate application access to precise device geolocation.

Critical Impact
An unprivileged local application can bypass macOS permission controls to read sensitive location data belonging to the user without appropriate authorization.

Affected Products

Apple macOS versions prior to macOS Tahoe 26
Applications relying on macOS location permission enforcement
macOS endpoints where third-party apps request location services

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-15 - CVE-2025-43208 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2025-09-15 - Apple publishes security advisory for macOS Tahoe 26
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43208

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw resides in the macOS permission model that governs access to location services. macOS enforces user consent through Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) prompts before an application can read location data. In affected releases, the enforcement path did not apply sufficient restrictions, allowing an installed application to retrieve sensitive location information outside the intended authorization boundary.

Exploitation requires local code execution on the target Mac, typically through a user-installed application. The attack vector is local rather than remote, and user interaction is required to trigger the vulnerable path. Because the issue leaks geolocation data, the primary impact is loss of user privacy rather than system compromise.

Apple's advisory states the issue was fixed by adding additional restrictions in macOS Tahoe 26. Full technical detail is not disclosed in the vendor advisory. For further reference, see the Apple Support Article and the Full Disclosure Mailing List Post.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper access control ([CWE-284]) in the code paths that mediate access to macOS location services. Insufficient permission checks allowed an application to reach location data that should have required explicit user authorization.

Attack Vector

An attacker must first place a malicious or abusive application on the target macOS system. Once executed with user interaction, the application queries the location subsystem and receives sensitive location data without a properly enforced consent gate. No network access or elevated privileges are required.

No public proof-of-concept exploit code is available for CVE-2025-43208. See the Apple Support Article for vendor guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43208

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected applications appearing in the Location Services list under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
Unsigned or newly installed applications making calls to CoreLocation APIs without a corresponding TCC prompt entry
Unusual modifications to the TCC database at /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db or the per-user equivalent

Detection Strategies

Inventory installed applications on macOS endpoints and correlate against the set of applications with granted location entitlements
Monitor process activity on locationd and interactions with the CoreLocation framework by non-standard binaries
Alert on macOS versions running below macOS Tahoe 26 in vulnerability management data

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest macOS Endpoint Security Framework (ESF) telemetry to track process execution and framework loads related to location services
Track TCC.db modifications and permission grant events across the fleet
Review unified logs for locationd subsystem entries showing unexpected client activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43208

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade all affected Macs to macOS Tahoe 26 or later, which contains the vendor fix
Audit the Location Services permission list and revoke access for any application that does not require geolocation
Remove untrusted or unnecessary third-party applications, particularly those installed outside the Mac App Store

Patch Information

Apple resolved CVE-2025-43208 in macOS Tahoe 26 by adding additional restrictions to the affected permissions logic. Administrators should deploy the update through Software Update or their mobile device management (MDM) platform. Refer to the Apple Support Article for the full list of fixes included in this release.

Workarounds

Disable Location Services entirely for users who do not require the feature via System Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
Restrict application installation to signed and notarized software distributed through the Mac App Store using MDM policy
Apply least-privilege configuration profiles that deny location access to non-approved applications

bash

# Configuration example: query current macOS version to confirm patch level
sw_vers -productVersion

# Disable Location Services system-wide (requires administrator privileges)
sudo defaults write /var/db/locationd/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.locationd LocationServicesEnabled -int 0
sudo launchctl kickstart -k system/com.apple.locationd