CVE-2025-43333

Local root escalation via Spotlight permission enforcement

Published Sep 15, 2025 · Updated Sep 15, 2025

Privilege escalation in Spotlight in Apple macOS before 26 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. The flaw is in Spotlight's permission enforcement; Apple has not disclosed the affected operation or the app-controlled input that reaches it. A local user must run an attacker-controlled app, after which the app gains root privileges and can take full control of the Mac.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Spotlight in Apple macOS before 26 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. The flaw is in Spotlight's permission enforcement; Apple has not disclosed the affected operation or the app-controlled input that reaches it. A local user must run an attacker-controlled app, after which the app gains root privileges and can take full control of the Mac.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43333
Published
Sep 15, 2025
Updated
Sep 15, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-269, CAPEC-233, CAPEC-58, CAPEC-122, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 15, 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

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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.

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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-269Improper Privilege Management
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
CAPEC-58Restful Privilege Elevation
CAPEC-122Privilege Abuse
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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