CVE-2025-43394

Protected-data disclosure via bootp symlink handling

Published Nov 4, 2025 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Improper link resolution in bootp in Apple macOS before 14.8.2, 15.7.2, and 26.1 allows local apps to read protected user data. The bootp component follows attacker-controlled symlinks during protected-data access, but Apple has not identified the affected operation or path. Exploitation requires a user to run a local app; the documented consequence is confidentiality loss, with no reported data modification or service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.23%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in bootp in Apple macOS before 14.8.2, 15.7.2, and 26.1 allows local apps to read protected user data. The bootp component follows attacker-controlled symlinks during protected-data access, but Apple has not identified the affected operation or path. Exploitation requires a user to run a local app; the documented consequence is confidentiality loss, with no reported data modification or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43394
Published
Nov 4, 2025
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-59, T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 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 <14.8
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <14.8; version=unspecified <15.7

Published CVSS scores

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

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1005Data from Local System

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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