CVE-2025-43314 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/16/2025
A parsing issue in the handling of directory paths was addressed with improved path validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, macOS Tahoe 26. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/16/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical path traversal flaw that affects multiple macOS versions including Sequoia 15.7 Sonoma 14.8 and Tahoe 26. The issue stems from inadequate validation of directory paths during application processing which creates potential vectors for unauthorized data access. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and can be classified as a CWE-22 weakness related to path traversal attacks. Attackers could exploit this flaw to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data stored in directories that should otherwise be protected.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied directory path inputs before processing them. When applications receive directory paths from external sources or user interactions, they should perform strict validation to ensure that these paths do not contain malicious elements such as directory traversal sequences or symbolic links that could lead to unintended directory access. The flaw likely occurs in the path resolution logic where relative path components or special characters are not adequately filtered or normalized before being used to access system resources. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1074.001 which describes data staging through the use of remote access tools and file transfers that can be leveraged for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access violations as it could enable attackers to escalate privileges and potentially access confidential user information including personal files, configuration data, and sensitive system resources. Applications that process user-provided paths for file operations become particularly vulnerable when they fail to implement proper path validation mechanisms. The vulnerability affects the core security model of the operating system by allowing potential bypass of the standard access control mechanisms that protect user data. This represents a significant risk to user privacy and system integrity as it could enable attackers to access data that should be restricted to specific users or processes.
Organizations and users should immediately apply the security patches released with macOS Sequoia 15.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8, and macOS Tahoe 26 to mitigate this vulnerability. The patch addresses the path validation issue by implementing stricter input sanitization and normalization routines that prevent malicious path sequences from being processed. System administrators should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any applications that might be susceptible to similar path traversal issues in their environments. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that detect unusual path access patterns can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts. The fix demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in preventing privilege escalation attacks and maintaining the security boundaries that protect user data. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can effectively respond to potential exploitation attempts that leverage this type of path traversal vulnerability.