CVE-2025-24123 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting various Apple products, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. This vulnerability allows for parsing a file to result in unexpected application termination, posing a risk to users and organizations relying on these systems. With a CVSS score of 5.5, organizations should be aware of the potential impact this vulnerability may have on application stability.
The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on January 27, 2025, and may be leveraged under specific circumstances. Although it does not require elevated privileges for exploitation, it necessitates user interaction, indicating that malicious actors may attempt to exploit this weakness via social engineering tactics.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. The vulnerability has been addressed in the latest versions of affected products, including iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and others. It is crucial for users to ensure they are running the latest versions to mitigate potential risks.
In summary, CVE-2025-24123 presents a medium-level risk that could lead to significant disruptions. Users and organizations must remain vigilant and update their systems promptly.
Vulnerability Details
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, iPadOS 17.7.4, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3. Parsing a file may lead to an unexpected app termination.
The vulnerability type is classified as a medium severity privilege escalation issue with a CVSS score of 5.5. The affected products include various Apple operating systems, as mentioned earlier.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2025-24123 stems from insufficient checks when parsing specific files. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability by enticing users to open specially crafted files, resulting in application crashes.
The attack vector is local, requiring physical access or user interaction. The attack complexity is low, as it does not necessitate advanced skills or knowledge. No privileges are required for exploitation, making it accessible to a wider range of potential attackers.
User interaction is needed, as users must be tricked into opening the malicious file. The impact on availability is high, as it may cause applications to terminate unexpectedly, leading to potential data loss or disruption of services.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes the potential for service disruptions and loss of data integrity. Given the high availability impact, organizations must assess the blast radius of this vulnerability within their environments. The urgency for remediation is medium, as the vulnerability is not actively exploited in the wild but still poses a significant risk.
Organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. Regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs should include checks for this and similar vulnerabilities to ensure comprehensive protection.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The following Apple products are affected by CVE-2025-24123: iOS versions prior to 18.3, iPadOS versions prior to 18.3, macOS versions prior to 15.3, tvOS versions prior to 18.3, visionOS versions prior to 2.3, and watchOS versions prior to 11.3. Users should ensure they update to the latest versions to mitigate this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
To remediate CVE-2025-24123, organizations should apply the latest patches provided by Apple. Users can find the updates in the respective system settings or through the Apple Support website.
In addition to applying patches, organizations should consider implementing configuration hardening measures to limit the potential impact of this vulnerability and monitor system logs for any anomalies post-update. For a comprehensive approach, organizations can utilize penetration testing to identify any residual vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for indicators of compromise related to unexpected application terminations. Behavioral anomalies, such as repeated application crashes when processing specific files, should also be logged and investigated.
Network signatures that identify unusual traffic patterns associated with file parsing may provide additional context. System changes should be closely monitored during and after the patching process.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-24123 lies in its demonstration of how vulnerabilities in widely used operating systems can lead to application stability issues. This vulnerability represents a trend towards the necessity for rigorous checks in file parsing mechanisms.
Security teams should recognize that even medium-severity vulnerabilities can have significant operational impacts if left unaddressed. Regular assessments and updates are essential in maintaining robust security postures.
Organizations may benefit from reviewing their vulnerability management programs to ensure comprehensive coverage against similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Furthermore, organizations can explore strategies detailed in our penetration testing methodology blog to enhance their security testing frameworks.
Finally, staying informed about vulnerability trends and patterns can aid in proactive defenses against future threats, as discussed in our article on 2025 vulnerability exposure severity trends.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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