CVE-2025-43306: Apple macOS Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-43306 Overview

CVE-2025-43306 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Apple macOS caused by a logic flaw with insufficient validation checks. A malicious application running on an affected system can exploit the flaw to gain root privileges. Apple addressed the issue with improved checks in macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, and macOS Tahoe 26. The weakness is categorized under [CWE-269] Improper Privilege Management.

Critical Impact

A malicious app installed on the system may escalate privileges to root, providing full administrative control over the affected macOS host.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS Sequoia prior to 15.7
• Apple macOS Sonoma prior to 14.8
• Apple macOS Tahoe prior to 26

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-05-26 - CVE-2025-43306 published to NVD
• 2026-05-27 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43306

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a logic issue within a privileged macOS component. Insufficient validation allows a local process to bypass intended privilege boundaries. Apple's advisory states that a malicious application may be able to gain root privileges on an unpatched system.

Exploitation requires local code execution on the target Mac. An attacker first delivers and runs a malicious application through phishing, supply chain compromise, or a chained initial-access vector. The application then abuses the logic flaw to elevate from a standard user context to root.

Root privileges on macOS provide attackers with full control over the operating system. This includes disabling security tooling, installing persistent kernel components, accessing protected user data, and modifying system configuration.

Root Cause

Apple's release notes describe the issue as a logic flaw addressed with improved checks. The component performed insufficient validation of caller state or input before granting elevated operations. This maps to [CWE-269] Improper Privilege Management, where assignment, transfer, or release of privileges is not correctly enforced.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local. An adversary must already have low-privileged code execution on the affected Mac to trigger the flaw. No user interaction is required once the malicious app executes. Apple has not published exploitation details beyond the high-level summary in Apple Support Document #125110, Apple Support Document #125111, and Apple Support Document #125112.

No public proof-of-concept or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported, and the CVE is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43306

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected processes executing with uid=0 (root) that were spawned from user-writable locations such as /Users/, /tmp/, or ~/Downloads/.
• New or modified LaunchDaemons under /Library/LaunchDaemons/ shortly after execution of an untrusted application.
• Unsigned or ad-hoc signed binaries invoking privileged system services or XPC endpoints.

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Endpoint Security framework events (ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_EXEC, ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_SETUID) for unexpected privilege transitions from standard users to root.
• Alert on creation of SUID/SGID binaries in non-standard paths and on modification of system-protected directories outside of approved update windows.
• Correlate execution of newly downloaded or quarantined applications with subsequent privileged activity within a short time window.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Collect macOS Unified Logs and EDR telemetry centrally to retain process lineage and code-signing metadata for forensic review.
• Track installations of LaunchAgents, LaunchDaemons, kernel extensions, and system extensions on managed Macs.
• Validate that all production Macs report a patched OS build via MDM inventory reporting.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43306

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade affected systems to macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, or macOS Tahoe 26.
• Inventory fleet OS versions through MDM and prioritize patching on systems handling sensitive data or used by privileged users.
• Restrict installation of unsigned and non-App-Store applications using Gatekeeper and managed configuration profiles.

Patch Information

Apple released fixes in macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, and macOS Tahoe 26. Refer to Apple Support Document #125110, Apple Support Document #125111, and Apple Support Document #125112 for the full list of CVEs addressed in each release.

Workarounds

• No vendor-supplied workaround exists. Apply the security update as the primary remediation.
• Reduce risk in the interim by enforcing least privilege, blocking execution of untrusted applications, and limiting which users can install software.

# Verify macOS version on managed endpoints
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger software update check and install available updates
sudo softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart