CVE-2025-43448 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/04/2025
This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, iOS 18.7.2 and iPadOS 18.7.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Sonoma 14.8.2, visionOS 26.1. An app may be able to break out of its sandbox.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2025
This vulnerability represents a sandbox escape condition that emerged in Apple's operating systems, specifically affecting tvOS, watchOS, macOS, iOS, and iPadOS versions prior to the mentioned security updates. The issue stemmed from insufficient validation mechanisms for symbolic links within the system's security framework, creating a pathway for malicious applications to bypass containment measures that are fundamental to operating system security. The flaw allowed an application to manipulate symbolic link structures in ways that could potentially grant access to resources outside its designated sandbox boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of symbolic link resolution within the kernel-level security subsystem. When applications attempted to traverse or access symbolic links, the system failed to adequately validate the target paths, potentially allowing attackers to redirect file operations to unintended locations. This weakness aligns with common software security principles where insufficient input validation creates opportunities for privilege escalation and unauthorized access. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient validation of symlinks, which can be categorized under CWE-367, specifically addressing the issue of time-of-check to time-of-use race conditions that can lead to security bypasses.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple sandbox confinement issues, as it could enable attackers to access sensitive system resources, user data, or other applications' private storage areas. An attacker could potentially leverage this weakness to read files outside their application's designated sandbox, modify system configurations, or even escalate privileges to gain root-level access. The implications are particularly severe given that this affects multiple Apple platforms including mobile devices, wearable devices, and desktop operating systems, creating a widespread attack surface. This vulnerability could be exploited by malicious applications that have already gained initial access to a device, potentially allowing them to persist and expand their access beyond what was originally intended by the operating system's security model.
The remediation implemented by Apple addresses this issue through enhanced validation mechanisms for symbolic link processing across all affected platforms. The security updates include modifications to how the operating system handles symbolic link resolution, ensuring that all path traversals are properly validated against the application's intended access scope. This fix specifically targets the kernel-level components responsible for file system access controls and symbolic link resolution, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1055.001 for privilege escalation through kernel exploits. The updates also incorporate additional checks to prevent path traversal attacks that could occur when symbolic links point to locations outside of normal application boundaries, effectively closing the gap that allowed sandbox escape conditions to occur.
Organizations and users should immediately apply the security updates for all affected platforms, as this vulnerability could be exploited by malware or malicious applications to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The fix demonstrates Apple's ongoing commitment to addressing security issues in their ecosystem, particularly focusing on kernel-level protections that are fundamental to maintaining system integrity. System administrators should monitor for any suspicious behavior on devices that may have been compromised prior to the patch deployment, as this vulnerability could have enabled persistent access to sensitive data or system resources. The mitigation strategy emphasizes the importance of timely patch management and maintaining up-to-date security configurations across all operating system versions to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.