CVE-2025-43472

Local root escalation via unsanitized shell input

Published Nov 4, 2025 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Improper input validation in bash and zsh in Apple macOS allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. Apple identifies insufficient input sanitization in bundled bash and zsh but has not published the affected input path or the privileged operation that consumes it. Local code execution as a low-privileged user is required, and successful exploitation elevates the app to root without user interaction.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in bash and zsh in Apple macOS allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. Apple identifies insufficient input sanitization in bundled bash and zsh but has not published the affected input path or the privileged operation that consumes it. Local code execution as a low-privileged user is required, and successful exploitation elevates the app to root without user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43472
Published
Nov 4, 2025
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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