CVE-2025-24177 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple products, including iOS and macOS. This vulnerability allows attackers on the local network to cause a denial-of-service due to a null pointer dereference that was addressed with improved input validation. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7.5, indicating a significant risk to systems that are not patched.
Organizations utilizing Apple devices should prioritize remediation as this issue could lead to service interruptions. The urgency for defenders is heightened due to the nature of the vulnerability and its potential impact on availability.
The vulnerability was published on January 27, 2025, and affects several versions of iOS and macOS. Users should ensure that they are running the latest versions, specifically iOS 18.3 and macOS Sequoia 15.3, among others, to mitigate this risk.
Organizations should implement immediate patching to protect against potential denial-of-service attacks that exploit this vulnerability.
Vulnerability Details
A null pointer dereference was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5. An attacker on the local network may be able to cause a denial-of-service.
The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7.5, categorizing it as high severity. The attack vector is network-based, with low attack complexity and no required privileges or user interactions. The primary impact is on availability, making it crucial for organizations to address this vulnerability.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper input validation that leads to a null pointer dereference. The attack vector is limited to local network access, meaning that an external attacker would need to already be within the network to exploit this vulnerability. The complexity of the attack is low, which means that an attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability without sophisticated tools or techniques.
No privileges are required for exploitation, and user interaction is not necessary, making it easier for attackers to leverage this vulnerability. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is none, but the impact on availability is high, as it could lead to service disruptions.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential denial-of-service attacks that could disrupt services for users. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple devices, which increases the blast radius significantly. Given the availability impact is rated high, organizations should prioritize remediation efforts as part of their patch management cycles.
The urgency for patching is critical due to the potential for service disruption. Organizations should assess their exposure and apply the patches provided by Apple to mitigate this vulnerability.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The following versions are affected: iOS versions prior to 18.3, iPadOS versions prior to 18.3, macOS versions from 15.0 up to but not including 15.3.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. Apple has released updates that fix this vulnerability in iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS versions. To ensure protection, users should update their systems to the latest versions.
In addition to updating, organizations should consider additional network controls to mitigate exposure to local attacks. Regular monitoring for unusual behavior can also help in identifying potential exploitation attempts.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring network traffic for abnormal spikes in requests or unusual patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Log indicators should include any unexpected service interruptions or errors that may arise from attempts to exploit this vulnerability.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-24177 lies in its reflection of the ongoing challenges in maintaining secure software. It underscores the importance of rigorous input validation and the potential consequences of overlooking such fundamental security practices.
Security teams should take this as a reminder to continuously audit their systems for similar vulnerabilities and ensure that all security patches are applied promptly. The strategic takeaway is to enhance the security posture through proactive measures, including regular updates and thorough testing of input validation mechanisms.
For further information and resources, organizations can refer to our penetration testing services to enhance their security measures.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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