Root privilege escalation via DiskArbitration permissions
Published Jul 29, 2025 · Updated Apr 2, 2026
Improper privilege management in DiskArbitration in Apple macOS before 15.6 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. DiskArbitration applies insufficient permission restrictions when handling an app request, but Apple has not disclosed the affected operation or permission boundary. Execution of attacker-controlled local code and user interaction are required; successful exploitation grants root control over the host.
Summary
What happened
Improper privilege management in DiskArbitration in Apple macOS before 15.6 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. DiskArbitration applies insufficient permission restrictions when handling an app request, but Apple has not disclosed the affected operation or permission boundary. Execution of attacker-controlled local code and user interaction are required; successful exploitation grants root control over the host.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-43188
- Published
- Jul 29, 2025
- Updated
- Apr 2, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 2, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <15.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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