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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2025-43451 Apple CVE debrief

A permissions vulnerability in macOS allowed applications to access sensitive user data without proper authorization. Apple addressed this by removing the vulnerable code in macOS Tahoe 26. The issue represents a privacy bypass where an app could circumvent intended access controls to reach protected user information. No CVSS score or severity rating has been assigned by NVD. The vulnerability was disclosed through Apple's product security channel and published to CVE.org and NVD on May 26, 2026.

Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.5
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-05-26
Original CVE updated
2026-07-20
Advisory published
2026-05-26
Advisory updated
2026-07-20

Who should care

macOS users and administrators managing endpoints with sensitive data; organizations with compliance requirements for data access controls; security teams tracking Apple patch cycles.

Technical summary

The vulnerability stemmed from insufficient permission enforcement in macOS, permitting applications to access sensitive user data outside their authorized scope. Apple's remediation involved code removal rather than permission tightening, suggesting the vulnerable functionality was either unnecessary or fundamentally flawed. The fix in macOS Tahoe 26 eliminates the attack surface entirely. No technical details on specific data types or attack vectors are available in disclosed sources.

Defensive priority

medium

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade to macOS Tahoe 26 or later to remediate this vulnerability
  • Review application permissions and privacy settings for apps that had access prior to patching
  • Monitor for unusual application data access patterns in system logs
  • Apply principle of least privilege when granting application permissions
  • Review Apple security advisories for additional macOS Tahoe 26 security fixes

Evidence notes

CVE description confirms Apple vendor and macOS Tahoe 26 as fixed version. Apple security advisory reference (ref-4) provides authoritative patch confirmation. No CVSS vector or CWE classification available in source data. KEV status: not listed.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2025-43451 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-43451

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2025-43451 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-43451

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.