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.
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
- Nov 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <14.8
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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