CVE-2025-24086 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2025
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. 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, watchOS 11.3. Processing an image may lead to a denial-of-service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-24086 represents a memory handling issue that affects multiple Apple operating systems including iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, along with several older versions across different platforms. This weakness specifically manifests when processing certain image files, creating a potential denial-of-service condition that could disrupt normal system operations. The issue falls under the category of memory management flaws that can be exploited through crafted image inputs to cause system instability.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate memory handling mechanisms when the affected systems process specific image formats. This type of vulnerability typically occurs when memory allocation, deallocation, or access patterns are not properly validated or managed during image processing operations. The flaw allows for improper memory state management that can lead to system crashes or complete system unresponsiveness when encountering specially crafted image files. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper validation of length of input buffers, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple device types and operating system versions, creating widespread exposure for users of Apple products. When exploited, the vulnerability can cause denial-of-service conditions that prevent normal system functionality, potentially requiring device restarts or complete system recovery. The affected platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS across multiple versions, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, indicating a broad attack surface that could impact various device categories from smartphones to wearables. This vulnerability can be particularly concerning in enterprise environments where device reliability is critical for business operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate deployment of available security updates from Apple, including iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3. System administrators should prioritize patching across all affected platforms to eliminate the memory handling vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as image file validation and sandboxing techniques to reduce the attack surface. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under T1499.004 for avoiding analysis and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers might attempt to exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access or disrupt system operations. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around image processing activities.