CVE-2025-43196

Root privilege escalation via libxpc path handling

Published Jul 29, 2025 · Updated Apr 2, 2026

Path traversal in Apple macOS libxpc allows local users to gain root privileges through an app on affected Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia releases. The libxpc component inadequately validates a path during an undisclosed operation; Apple has not published the affected function or path flow. A locally running app is required; affected releases are Ventura before 13.7.7, Sonoma before 14.7.7, and Sequoia before 15.6, and exploitation grants root privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.24%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Apple macOS libxpc allows local users to gain root privileges through an app on affected Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia releases. The libxpc component inadequately validates a path during an undisclosed operation; Apple has not published the affected function or path flow. A locally running app is required; affected releases are Ventura before 13.7.7, Sonoma before 14.7.7, and Sequoia before 15.6, and exploitation grants root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43196
Published
Jul 29, 2025
Updated
Apr 2, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-22, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <13.7.7
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <14.7.7
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <15.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=0 <13.7.7; version=0 <14.7.7; version=0 <15.6

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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