CVE-2025-43513 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2025
A permissions issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in macOS Tahoe 26.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3. An app may be able to read sensitive location information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions flaw that allowed unauthorized applications to access sensitive location data on Apple operating systems. The issue stemmed from inadequate access controls within the system's location services framework, creating a potential pathway for malicious software to bypass normal security boundaries. The vulnerability affected multiple versions of macOS including Tahoe 26.2, Sequoia 15.7.3, and Sonoma 14.8.3, indicating a widespread impact across the Apple ecosystem. From a cybersecurity perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control mechanisms, specifically targeting location-based data protection. The vulnerability's remediation involved complete removal of the problematic code rather than implementing patches, suggesting the flaw was fundamental to the system's permission model rather than a simple configuration issue.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as location information often serves as a foundation for other security threats including tracking, social engineering, and privacy violations. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to monitor user movements, establish behavioral patterns, and correlate location data with other personal information. This type of vulnerability commonly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for credential access and T1070 for indicator removal. The fact that the fix required complete code removal rather than patching indicates the severity of the underlying permission model flaw, suggesting that traditional security controls were insufficient to prevent unauthorized access to location services.
The remediation approach taken by Apple demonstrates a proactive security stance, as complete code removal typically represents the most effective solution for fundamental permission flaws. This approach addresses the root cause rather than attempting to patch surface-level symptoms. The vulnerability's resolution across multiple macOS versions reflects Apple's comprehensive security update strategy, ensuring that users across different system generations receive protection against the same threat vector. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability type highlights the importance of regular permission model audits and the need for robust sandboxing mechanisms in operating systems. The fix serves as a reminder that location-based services require particularly stringent access controls, as they represent some of the most sensitive personal data that applications can potentially access. Organizations should implement monitoring for similar permission anomalies and maintain updated threat intelligence regarding location service vulnerabilities that could impact their mobile device security posture.