CVE-2025-43509: Apple macOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-43509 Overview

CVE-2025-43509 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting multiple versions of Apple macOS. The flaw allows a local application to access sensitive user data due to insufficient data protection controls. Apple addressed the issue with improved data protection in macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3, and macOS Tahoe 26.2. The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to exploit, and it is categorized under [CWE-200] Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor.

Critical Impact
A malicious or malformed application running on an affected macOS system may read sensitive user data without proper authorization checks.

Affected Products

Apple macOS Sequoia versions prior to 15.7.3
Apple macOS Sonoma versions prior to 14.8.3
Apple macOS Tahoe versions prior to 26.2

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-12 - CVE-2025-43509 published to NVD
2026-10-07 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43509

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an information disclosure flaw in Apple macOS. Apple's advisory states the issue was addressed with improved data protection, indicating that the underlying code path did not sufficiently guard access to sensitive user data. An application installed on the system can leverage this weakness to read data that should be restricted by macOS privacy and sandbox controls.

Apple has not published granular technical detail about the specific component affected. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-200] Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor. Apple has not confirmed any public exploitation of this issue, and no proof-of-concept code is available in public repositories.

Root Cause

The root cause is inadequate data protection enforcement within an affected macOS subsystem. The system did not apply sufficient checks before exposing sensitive user data to a requesting application. Apple's fix hardens these data protection boundaries in the patched releases.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access to the target macOS device. An attacker must deliver a malicious application to the user and convince them to execute it, as user interaction is required. Once running, the application queries the vulnerable interface to retrieve sensitive user data without triggering the expected privacy prompts or access controls. The vulnerability cannot be triggered remotely over the network.

Apple has not released public exploitation code. See Apple's advisories for the limited technical description provided: Apple Support Document #125886, Apple Support Document #125887, and Apple Support Document #125888.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43509

Indicators of Compromise

Unsigned or ad-hoc signed applications executing from user-writable paths such as /Users/Shared/, ~/Downloads/, or /tmp/.
Unexpected access attempts to user data directories including ~/Library/, ~/Documents/, and application sandbox containers.
Processes spawning without a legitimate parent application or without proper notarization metadata.

Detection Strategies

Monitor Endpoint Security Framework (ESF) events for processes reading from protected user data locations outside of their declared entitlements.
Correlate application install events with subsequent file access patterns to identify newly-introduced binaries that immediately touch sensitive paths.
Flag macOS systems running vulnerable builds (prior to 15.7.3, 14.8.3, or 26.2) that execute non-notarized binaries.

Monitoring Recommendations

Centralize macOS Unified Log data in a SIEM or data lake and alert on tccd denials, Gatekeeper overrides, and quarantine attribute removal.
Track macOS build versions across the fleet and prioritize unpatched endpoints for investigation.
Baseline normal application behavior and alert on deviations such as abnormal file enumeration under ~/Library/Application Support/.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43509

Immediate Actions Required

Update affected endpoints to macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3, or macOS Tahoe 26.2 as applicable to the deployed major version.
Enforce Gatekeeper and notarization policies to block execution of unsigned or untrusted applications.
Audit installed third-party applications and remove any that are unused, unmaintained, or sourced from outside trusted channels.

Patch Information

Apple released patches for this issue in macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3, and macOS Tahoe 26.2. Full details are available in Apple Support Document #125886, Apple Support Document #125887, and Apple Support Document #125888. Administrators should deploy the updates through MDM solutions or Software Update as soon as possible.

Workarounds

Restrict application installation to trusted sources using MDM configuration profiles that enforce Gatekeeper and allowlist signed developers.
Apply the principle of least privilege for user accounts and avoid granting Full Disk Access or Accessibility permissions to unverified applications.
Use Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) policy enforcement via MDM to limit which applications can request access to sensitive data categories.

bash

# Verify current macOS version to confirm patch status
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger macOS Software Update to install the latest patches
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart