CVE-2025-24120 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS that could allow attackers to cause unexpected app termination. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5, indicating a high risk to users and organizations. The exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to significant disruptions in service, highlighting the urgency for organizations to address it promptly.
The vulnerability arises from improper management of object lifetimes. This issue has been officially addressed in macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Ventura 13.7.3. Organizations using affected versions should take immediate action to implement the necessary updates.
Risk to organizations includes potential application crashes, which could disrupt business operations and lead to a loss of productivity. Given the nature of this vulnerability, it is critical for organizations to prioritize patching immediately to mitigate associated risks.
As of the current reporting, there are no known exploits publicly available for this vulnerability, but the potential impact emphasizes the importance of immediate remediation efforts.
Vulnerability Details
The official description of CVE-2025-24120 states: "This issue was addressed by improved management of object lifetimes. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3. An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination." This vulnerability is classified as a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.5.
The CVSS vector string for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, which indicates that the attack vector is network-based, the attack complexity is low, and no privileges or user interaction are required to exploit it. The availability impact is high, meaning that the vulnerability could significantly disrupt the availability of services.
Affected Apple products include various versions of macOS. The vulnerability was published on January 27, 2025, and is classified under CWE-772.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2025-24120 relates to improper management of object lifetimes within the macOS environment. This oversight can result in unexpected behavior, such as application crashes, when invoked by an attacker.
The attack vector is network-based, allowing potential attackers to exploit the vulnerability remotely. Given that the attack complexity is classified as low, even less sophisticated attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability without requiring elevated privileges or user interaction.
The confidentiality and integrity impacts are both assessed as none, while the availability impact is high, emphasizing the risk of service disruptions due to unexpected application terminations.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations utilizing affected versions of macOS are at risk of application crashes, potentially causing significant disruptions to business operations. The availability impact of this vulnerability suggests that users may experience unexpected terminations, leading to frustrated users and lost productivity.
Given the high CVSS score of 7.5, organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. Failing to do so could result in substantial operational disruptions, especially for critical applications.
The exploitation status indicates no public exploits are currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the KEV database. However, organizations must remain vigilant as the potential for exploitation exists, and proactive measures should be taken.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerable versions of macOS include all versions prior to vendor patch for macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Ventura 13.7.3.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to resolve this vulnerability. Upgrading to the latest versions of macOS, specifically macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, or macOS Ventura 13.7.3, will remediate this issue. In cases where immediate patching is not feasible, organizations should implement configuration hardening and monitor applications for unusual behavior to mitigate potential impacts.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor logs for application crashes and unusual termination patterns. Behavioral anomalies and system changes should be investigated promptly to ensure that no exploitation is occurring.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-24120 underscores the importance of proper management of object lifetimes in software development. Organizations must learn from such vulnerabilities to enhance their application security practices. Continuous security testing, such as continuous penetration testing, can help identify weaknesses before they can be exploited.
This vulnerability serves as a reminder for security teams to remain proactive in their approach to security. Regular updates, security training, and awareness of potential vulnerabilities should form part of an organization's security strategy. For more insights on vulnerabilities and security best practices, organizations can refer to resources such as security testing best practices and vulnerability management program design to strengthen defenses and improve incident response.
Organizations should also consider engaging with security professionals to conduct thorough assessments, ensuring that all potential vulnerabilities are addressed effectively.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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