CVE-2025-24162: Medium Vulnerability in Apple Safari and Related Products

CVE-2025-24162 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting multiple Apple products, including Safari, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. This vulnerability allows attackers to process maliciously crafted web content, potentially leading to unexpected process crashes. Given the wide usage of these products, the risk to organizations includes denial-of-service conditions that could disrupt operations. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.

The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based, with a low attack complexity and no privileges required for exploitation. However, user interaction is necessary, as the malicious content needs to be processed by the user’s device. Organizations should be aware of the potential availability impact this vulnerability poses.

As of the last update, there are no known exploits publicly available for this vulnerability. However, given the nature of the issue, organizations should remain vigilant and consider implementing additional security measures until systems can be patched. The urgency for defenders is high, and organizations should address this vulnerability as part of their priority patch cycle.

This vulnerability was published on January 27, 2025, and has been addressed in the latest versions of affected products. Therefore, organizations should ensure that they update to Safari 18.3, iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3.

Vulnerability Details

This vulnerability allows attackers to cause an unexpected process crash through improved state management in affected Apple products. The CVSS score is 6.5, classified as medium severity. The attack vector is network-based, requiring user interaction to trigger the vulnerability. The affected products include Safari, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS.

The vulnerability was published on January 27, 2025, and is classified under CWE-125. Organizations are advised to refer to vendor resources for detailed information on the vulnerability and the necessary remediation steps.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of CVE-2025-24162 stems from inadequate state management, which could be exploited through crafted web content. The attack vector is network-based, indicating that remote exploitation is possible, provided the user interacts with the malicious content. The attack complexity is low, and no special privileges are required, making it accessible to a wide range of attackers.

User interaction is necessary, as the malicious content must be loaded in the affected web browser. The confidentiality impact is none, and the integrity impact is also none; however, the availability impact is high, as the exploit can lead to a process crash.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The real-world risk associated with CVE-2025-24162 lies in its potential to disrupt services for users of affected products. Given that multiple Apple products are impacted, the blast radius is significant, affecting a wide user base. Organizations that rely on these platforms should take immediate action to mitigate any risks associated with this vulnerability.

The urgency assessment based on the CVSS score indicates a medium level of priority. Organizations should schedule remediation in their patch management cycles and ensure that updates are applied promptly. The vulnerability's potential for exploitation highlights the importance of maintaining updated software and monitoring for any issues that could arise.

Exploitation Status

Affected Versions

Affected products include Safari, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. All versions prior to the vendor patch are vulnerable, specifically versions of Safari earlier than 18.3, iOS and iPadOS earlier than 18.3, macOS earlier than 15.3, tvOS earlier than 18.3, visionOS earlier than 2.3, and watchOS earlier than 11.3.

Mitigation & Remediation

Organizations should upgrade their affected products to the latest versions, specifically Safari 18.3, iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3 to mitigate this vulnerability. If immediate patching is not possible, consider implementing network controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious content.

For further guidance on security practices, organizations may refer to resources on penetration testing and application security assessments.

Detection Guidance

Monitoring for behavioral anomalies when web content is processed in Safari and other affected products can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should log indicators of unexpected process crashes and investigate any abnormal behavior that deviates from standard application performance.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

The long-term significance of CVE-2025-24162 is its reflection of the ongoing challenges that Apple faces in maintaining secure software amid evolving threats. This vulnerability exemplifies the need for robust security practices and regular updates to mitigate risks associated with web content processing.

Security teams should take this opportunity to assess their vulnerability management programs and ensure that they are prepared to respond to similar issues in the future. For more information on vulnerability management, organizations can refer to best practices outlined in our vulnerability management program design.

As this vulnerability is addressed, it is essential for organizations to remain vigilant and consider how their security posture can adapt to emerging threats. Regular security assessments, such as penetration testing methodologies, can help identify potential weaknesses before they are exploited.

Finally, organizations should evaluate their response strategies to vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-24162, ensuring they have effective incident response plans in place. Further insights can be gained from resources on penetration testing reports and how to leverage them for continuous improvement.