CVE-2025-43330: Apple macOS Sandbox Escape Vulnerability

CVE-2025-43330 Overview

CVE-2025-43330 is a sandbox escape vulnerability affecting Apple macOS. Apple addressed the issue by removing the vulnerable code in macOS Sequoia 15.7 and macOS Tahoe 26. An application running within the macOS sandbox can break out of its restrictions and access resources outside its intended boundary. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-693] Protection Mechanism Failure. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, but successful attacks compromise confidentiality and integrity at a high level. The flaw scores 8.2 on the CVSS v3.1 scale, with Apple publishing fixes through advisories #125110 and #125111.

Critical Impact
A sandboxed application can escape its containment boundary on unpatched macOS systems, granting access to resources outside the sandbox and undermining a core macOS security control.

Affected Products

Apple macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15.7
Apple macOS versions prior to Tahoe 26
Applications relying on macOS sandbox isolation as a security boundary

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-15 - CVE-2025-43330 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-04-02 - Last updated in the NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43330

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a sandbox escape in macOS, categorized as a Protection Mechanism Failure under [CWE-693]. The macOS App Sandbox restricts what an application can access on the operating system, isolating it from user data, network resources, and other processes. CVE-2025-43330 allows an application to bypass this restriction.

Apple's advisory states the issue was resolved by removing the vulnerable code entirely rather than patching it in place. This phrasing typically indicates that the affected functionality contained a design weakness that could not be safely retained.

Exploitation requires a malicious or compromised application to already be running on the target system with local access. User interaction is also required, which suggests that opening a crafted file, document, or application is part of the attack chain.

Root Cause

The root cause is a failure in the sandbox enforcement layer of macOS. The component permitted operations that should have been blocked by sandbox policy. Because Apple removed the code rather than refactoring it, the flaw was inherent to the affected logic. The scope is marked as Changed in the CVSS vector, indicating the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component into other security domains.

Attack Vector

An attacker delivers a malicious application or convinces a user to run a crafted file inside a sandboxed application such as a browser, mail client, or document viewer. The application then triggers the vulnerable code path to escape the sandbox. Once outside the sandbox, the attacker can access user files, sensitive directories, or interfaces normally restricted to higher-privileged contexts. No code example is published by Apple; refer to the Apple Support Advisory #125110 and Full Disclosure #53 Analysis for additional technical context.

// No verified public proof-of-concept code is available.
// Refer to Apple's security advisories and the Full Disclosure
// posts for technical analysis of the sandbox escape behavior.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43330

Indicators of Compromise

Sandboxed processes spawning child processes or accessing file paths outside their container directory under ~/Library/Containers/
Unexpected reads or writes to user home directories by applications declared as sandboxed in their entitlements
Anomalous use of inter-process communication (IPC) endpoints by App Store or Mac App Sandbox-restricted applications

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoint telemetry for sandboxed applications performing file access outside expected container paths
Correlate process lineage to identify child processes launched by sandboxed parents that should not have spawn rights
Inspect entitlements at runtime and alert when a process behaves inconsistently with its declared sandbox profile

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable macOS Endpoint Security framework events covering ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_OPEN, EXEC, and FORK for sandboxed processes
Track installed macOS versions across the fleet and flag any host below Sequoia 15.7 or Tahoe 26
Aggregate Unified Logs from com.apple.sandbox and com.apple.securityd for denial and override messages

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43330

Immediate Actions Required

Update affected macOS systems to macOS Sequoia 15.7 or macOS Tahoe 26 without delay
Inventory all Macs in the environment and prioritize patching for systems running high-risk sandboxed applications such as browsers and document viewers
Restrict installation of untrusted applications and enforce Gatekeeper and Notarization policies through mobile device management (MDM)

Patch Information

Apple released the fix in macOS Sequoia 15.7 and macOS Tahoe 26. The vulnerable code was removed rather than modified. Patch details are documented in the Apple Support Advisory #125110 and Apple Support Advisory #125111. Administrators should deploy updates through Apple's Software Update mechanism or an MDM solution.

Workarounds

No official workaround exists; patching is the only supported remediation
Reduce exposure by limiting the use of sandboxed applications that process untrusted content until patches are applied
Apply application allowlisting to block unsigned or unknown executables from running on affected hosts

bash

# Verify the installed macOS version meets the patched release
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger software update check on a single host
sudo softwareupdate -l
sudo softwareupdate -ia --restart