CVE-2025-43320 Overview
CVE-2025-43320 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in Apple macOS. A local application can bypass launch constraint protections and execute malicious code with elevated privileges. Apple addressed the issue by adding additional logic to enforce launch constraints. The flaw is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.3 and macOS Tahoe 26.
The weakness is categorized under [CWE-269] Improper Privilege Management. Exploitation requires local access and low privileges but no user interaction. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host.
Critical Impact
A local attacker with a foothold on a macOS system can bypass launch constraints to run code with elevated privileges, undermining a core Apple platform integrity control.
Affected Products
- Apple macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15.7.3
- Apple macOS Tahoe versions prior to 26
- macOS endpoints relying on launch constraint enforcement for binary integrity
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-12-12 - CVE-2025-43320 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-43320
Vulnerability Analysis
Launch constraints are a macOS security mechanism that restricts how, where, and by whom Apple-signed binaries can be launched. They prevent attackers from repurposing legitimate system binaries in unintended contexts to gain code execution or privileges. This vulnerability breaks that guarantee.
An app running locally with limited privileges can circumvent the constraint checks and cause protected code to execute in a context it was never meant to run in. Because launch constraints are used to gate access to entitled system components, bypassing them provides a stepping stone from a compromised user process to code running with higher privileges. Apple's fix introduces additional logic in the constraint evaluation path, indicating the original enforcement was missing checks under specific launch conditions.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper privilege management [CWE-269] in the launch constraint enforcement logic. Insufficient validation allowed constrained binaries to be invoked in states the policy should have rejected. Because constraints double as an anti-persistence and anti-lateral-movement control, the gap enables privilege escalation without touching kernel memory.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires a local attacker who already runs code on the target system, for example through a malicious app, a phishing payload, or an initial-access foothold. No user interaction is required once the malicious app runs. The attacker uses the bypass to launch a protected, higher-privileged binary under attacker-controlled conditions, achieving elevated execution.
Apple has not published exploit details, and no public proof-of-concept is available. Technical specifics are limited to Apple's advisory language. See the Apple Support Article #125887 and Apple Support Article #125110 for vendor descriptions.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43320
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected execution of Apple-signed system binaries from non-standard parent processes or working directories
- New or modified LaunchDaemons and LaunchAgents plist files under /Library/LaunchDaemons/, /Library/LaunchAgents/, or per-user equivalents
- Child processes running with higher effective UID than their parent without a legitimate sudo, authopen, or XPC helper chain
Detection Strategies
- Alert on process ancestry anomalies where user-level applications spawn entitled system binaries outside expected code paths
- Monitor for code signature validation failures and amfid or taskgated log entries indicating constraint evaluation errors
- Correlate EndpointSecurity ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_EXEC events against expected launch constraint contexts for Apple-signed binaries
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest macOS Unified Log data covering com.apple.securityd, amfid, and launchd subsystems into a centralized analytics platform
- Track macOS build versions across the fleet and flag hosts still running versions earlier than Sequoia 15.7.3 or Tahoe 26
- Baseline privileged process launches per host and alert on deviations, especially escalations originating from user-installed applications
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43320
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade macOS endpoints to Sequoia 15.7.3 or macOS Tahoe 26 as documented in the Apple advisories
- Inventory macOS assets using MDM to identify hosts running vulnerable builds and prioritize patch deployment
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications by enforcing Gatekeeper, notarization requirements, and allowlisting policies
Patch Information
Apple fixed CVE-2025-43320 in macOS Sequoia 15.7.3 and macOS Tahoe 26 by adding additional logic to launch constraint evaluation. Patch details and download links are available in the Apple Support Article #125887 and the Apple Support Article #125110. Apply the update through Software Update or an MDM-managed update workflow.
Workarounds
- No vendor workaround is published; patching is the only supported remediation
- Reduce local attack surface by limiting standard user accounts from running unsigned or unnotarized code
- Deploy endpoint monitoring that captures process lineage and code signature events to detect exploitation attempts prior to patching
# Verify macOS build meets the fixed version on managed endpoints
sw_vers -productVersion
# Expected output: 15.7.3 or later (Sequoia) or 26.x (Tahoe)
# Force a software update check via MDM or locally
sudo softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
