CVE-2025-43403: Apple macOS Authorization Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-43403 Overview

CVE-2025-43403 is an authorization vulnerability affecting Apple macOS Sequoia and macOS Sonoma. The flaw stems from improper state management within the operating system's authorization logic. A malicious application running locally can leverage the weakness to access sensitive user data that should otherwise be protected by the system's privacy controls.

Apple addressed the issue in macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 and macOS Sonoma 14.8.4 by improving state management. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-285: Improper Authorization.

Critical Impact
A locally installed application can bypass authorization controls to read sensitive user data without proper consent.

Affected Products

Apple macOS Sequoia versions prior to 15.7.4
Apple macOS Sonoma versions prior to 14.8.4
Applications relying on macOS authorization frameworks for data protection

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-11 - CVE-2025-43403 published to NVD
2026-02-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43403

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an Improper Authorization issue rooted in flawed state management. macOS enforces authorization decisions based on internal state that tracks whether an application has been granted access to protected resources. When this state is not maintained correctly, the system can return an authorized result for a request that should be denied.

The attack vector is local and requires user interaction. An attacker must convince a user to run a crafted application. Once executed, the application operates with the local user's privileges and abuses the authorization gap to retrieve sensitive data. Confidentiality is impacted, while integrity and availability remain unaffected.

Apple's advisories describe the fix as "improved state management," indicating the patch corrects how authorization state is tracked and validated across operations.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper state management in an authorization decision path within macOS. Sensitive operations rely on transient state to determine whether a caller is permitted to access protected resources. The flawed handling allows an app to reach a state in which the system grants access despite the absence of proper authorization, mapping directly to [CWE-285].

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local code execution as a standard user and user interaction to launch the malicious application. The attacker delivers a crafted app through phishing, sideloading, or supply-chain compromise. Once running, the app issues requests against affected macOS subsystems to read sensitive user data such as files, application data, or other privacy-protected content.

No verified public proof-of-concept exists, and the vulnerability is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Apple has not disclosed exploitation in the wild.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43403

Indicators of Compromise

Unsigned or ad-hoc signed applications launched from user-writable directories such as ~/Downloads or /tmp.
Unexpected access to user data directories including ~/Library, ~/Documents, and Application Group containers by non-Apple processes.
New launch agents or daemons in ~/Library/LaunchAgents correlated with recently installed applications.

Detection Strategies

Monitor Endpoint Security Framework (ESF) events for processes opening sensitive user data paths without corresponding TCC prompts.
Audit Unified Log entries from tccd and authd for anomalous authorization decisions following app launches.
Correlate process execution telemetry with file-read events on protected resources to identify policy bypass patterns.

Monitoring Recommendations

Track macOS version compliance across the fleet to identify hosts running versions prior to 14.8.4 or 15.7.4.
Establish baselines for legitimate applications accessing privacy-sensitive directories and alert on deviations.
Forward macOS endpoint telemetry to a central analytics platform to enable retrospective hunting once additional indicators emerge.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43403

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade affected systems to macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 or macOS Sonoma 14.8.4 without delay.
Inventory endpoints running vulnerable macOS versions using mobile device management (MDM) reporting.
Restrict installation of applications from untrusted sources by enforcing Gatekeeper and notarization policies.

Patch Information

Apple released fixes in macOS Sequoia 15.7.4 and macOS Sonoma 14.8.4. Refer to the Apple Security Advisory #126349 and Apple Security Advisory #126350 for full details and download instructions.

Workarounds

Enforce least privilege so users do not run untrusted applications on systems holding sensitive data.
Configure Gatekeeper to allow applications only from the App Store and identified developers using spctl --master-enable.
Use MDM configuration profiles to restrict Full Disk Access and other privacy permissions to a vetted application allowlist.

bash

# Configuration example
# Verify current macOS version
sw_vers -productVersion

# Apply pending Apple security updates
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart

# Re-enable Gatekeeper if it has been disabled
sudo spctl --master-enable