Apple Multiple Products Use-After-Free
CVE-2025-24085 is a critical-severity use after free vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS from Apple, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 18.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating iOS and iPadOS to that release or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on January 29, 2025, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update iOS and iPadOS to 18.3 or a later version.
- Update iPadOS to 17.7.6 or a later version.
- Update macOS to 13.7.5 or 14.7.5 or 15.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- Read the advisory on support.apple.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | iOS and iPadOS | before 18.3 | 18.3 |
| Apple | iPadOS | before 17.7.6 | 17.7.6 |
| Apple | macOS | before 13.7.5; before 14.7.5; before 15.3 | 13.7.5, 14.7.5, 15.3 |
| Apple | tvOS | before 18.3 | 18.3 |
| Apple | visionOS | before 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Apple | watchOS | before 11.3 | 11.3 |
| Apple | Iphone OS | before 18.3 | 18.3 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 10.0 | Critical | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 10.0 | Critical | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. 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, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, watchOS 11.3. A malicious application may be able to elevate privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- support.apple.com/en-us/122066Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122068Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122071Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122072Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122073Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122372Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122374Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/122375Release Notes
Third-party and government advisories
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/10Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/5Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Apr/9Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jan/12Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jan/13Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jan/15Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jan/19Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jun/19Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Oct/1Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Oct/23Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Oct/30Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Oct/31Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- github.com/JGoyd/Glass-Cage-iOS18-CVE-2025-24085-CVE-2025-24201Third Party Advisory
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-24085US Government Resource
Other references
- github.com/cisagov/vulnrichment/issues/194Issue Tracking
Other vulnerabilities in iOS and iPadOS
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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