CVE-2025-24120 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2025
This issue was addressed by improved management of object lifetimes. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3. An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/08/2026
This vulnerability represents a memory management issue that affects Apple's operating systems, specifically impacting how object lifetimes are handled within the system's runtime environment. The flaw manifests as improper memory deallocation or reference counting mechanisms that can lead to unpredictable application behavior when objects are destroyed or removed from memory. Such issues typically arise from insufficient bounds checking or improper handling of object references that can cause the system to access deallocated memory locations or maintain invalid references to objects that have already been freed. The vulnerability was addressed through enhanced object lifetime management protocols that ensure proper memory cleanup and reference tracking throughout the system's operation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common software security weaknesses categorized under CWE-415, which deals with double free conditions, and CWE-416, which addresses use after free errors. These classifications reflect the core issue where applications or system components may attempt to access memory that has already been deallocated, leading to potential instability or exploitation opportunities. The flaw specifically impacts the macOS ecosystem's memory management subsystem, which operates as a critical component of the operating system's runtime environment where objects are dynamically allocated and deallocated during program execution. The improper handling of object lifetimes creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory states in ways that could cause applications to crash or behave unexpectedly.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a moderate risk to system stability and user experience, as it can result in unexpected application termination without providing any clear indication of the underlying cause. When applications crash due to improper memory management, users may lose unsaved work and experience disruptions to their workflow. The issue is particularly concerning in environments where stability is paramount, such as enterprise settings or systems handling sensitive data. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to cause denial of service conditions by repeatedly triggering the memory management flaw, leading to sustained application instability. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple crashes to potentially creating conditions where malicious code could be injected or system integrity could be compromised through memory corruption attacks.
The mitigation strategy implemented by Apple involves updating the affected operating systems to versions that contain enhanced memory management protocols and improved object lifetime tracking mechanisms. The fix specifically addresses the root cause by implementing stricter memory deallocation procedures and more robust reference counting algorithms that prevent objects from being accessed after they have been freed. Organizations should prioritize updating to macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, or macOS Ventura 13.7.3 to remediate this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing additional monitoring to detect any unusual application termination patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The update process should be carefully managed to ensure that all affected systems receive the necessary security patches while maintaining operational continuity. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices in preventing both accidental system instability and potential exploitation opportunities that could be leveraged by malicious actors.