CVE-2025-43296

Gatekeeper bypass via flawed app validation

Published Oct 9, 2025 · Updated Oct 9, 2025

Gatekeeper bypass in System Settings in Apple macOS before 26 allows local users to launch an app without Gatekeeper checks. The component applies flawed validation when evaluating the app, but Apple has not disclosed the specific input or decision path that skips enforcement. Exploitation requires local execution and user interaction; it defeats launch-time trust screening without reported data disclosure, privilege gain, or service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Gatekeeper bypass in System Settings in Apple macOS before 26 allows local users to launch an app without Gatekeeper checks. The component applies flawed validation when evaluating the app, but Apple has not disclosed the specific input or decision path that skips enforcement. Exploitation requires local execution and user interaction; it defeats launch-time trust screening without reported data disclosure, privilege gain, or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43296
Published
Oct 9, 2025
Updated
Oct 9, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-693, CWE-703, CWE-352, T1553.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 9, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 9, 2025Record 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=unspecified <26

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <26

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-693Protection Mechanism Failure
CWE-703Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions
CWE-352Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
T1553.001Subvert Trust Controls: Gatekeeper Bypass

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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