CVE-2025-24139 is a medium-severity vulnerability that affects Apple macOS. This vulnerability allows parsing a maliciously crafted file which may lead to an unexpected app termination. Organizations are urged to address this vulnerability promptly, as it has implications for application stability.
The issue was officially published on January 27, 2025, and has been assigned a CVSS score of 5.5. The vulnerability is classified as having a low attack complexity and requiring user interaction, which means that an attacker would need some form of user engagement to exploit this vulnerability.
Given the reported impact on availability, organizations should prioritize patching immediately. Apple has released updates for macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Ventura 13.7.3 to remediate this issue.
It is important to note that as of now, there is no known public exploit for this vulnerability, but the potential for exploitation exists, making timely remediation essential.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability was addressed with improved checks in the software, specifically targeting the way files are parsed. This issue affects multiple macOS versions including Sequoia, Sonoma, and Ventura. The CWE classification for this vulnerability is CWE-787, indicating improper control of the length of a buffer.
Organizations should review their systems for affected versions and apply the necessary updates to ensure protection against this vulnerability.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2025-24139 lies in insufficient checks when parsing files. Attackers may exploit this by crafting a malicious file that could trigger unexpected termination of applications. The attack vector is local, meaning that the attacker must have access to the system to exploit this vulnerability.
The attack complexity is assessed as low, and no special privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability. User interaction is necessary, which may involve opening a malicious file or application.
This vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity, but it does have a high availability impact, which can disrupt services and application functionality.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential application instability and service disruption, which can affect user experience and operational continuity. The blast radius for this vulnerability may vary depending on the deployment and usage of affected applications.
Given the CVSS score of 5.5, it is critical for organizations to assess their exposure to this vulnerability and prioritize patching efforts. Organizations should consider the urgency based on their operational needs and user impact.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
Affected versions include macOS versions prior to 13.7.3, from 14.0 up to 14.7.3, and from 15.0 up to 15.3. Organizations should ensure they are running the latest version of macOS to mitigate this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
Apple has already released patches in macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, and macOS Ventura for this vulnerability. Organizations should prioritize applying these updates to their systems to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations can benefit from implementing best practices in software development and security testing, including regular security assessments.
For further guidance on ensuring security and compliance, organizations can refer to our comprehensive penetration testing services.
Detection Guidance
To detect potential exploitation of this vulnerability, organizations should monitor application logs for unusual terminations or crashes that may occur after parsing files. Behavioral anomalies in application performance should also be noted, as they may indicate attempted exploitation.
System changes, especially those related to the file parsing and handling processes, should be logged and analyzed to identify any unauthorized modifications.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-24139 highlights the importance of robust file handling mechanisms in application development. Security teams should take this as a reminder of the potential impact of seemingly minor vulnerabilities in software.
Organizations can learn from this incident by prioritizing comprehensive security reviews and adopting a proactive approach to vulnerability management. For more insights on vulnerability management, organizations can read our article on vulnerability management programs to strengthen defenses.
Additionally, security teams should consider exploring penetration testing methodologies to identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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