CVE-2025-24162 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/28/2025
This issue was addressed through improved state management. This issue is fixed in visionOS 2.3, Safari 18.3, iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, tvOS 18.3. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
This vulnerability represents a state management flaw that was successfully addressed through enhanced processing controls within Apple's operating systems. The issue specifically relates to how the affected systems handle maliciously crafted web content, creating a potential instability condition that could result in unexpected process crashes. The vulnerability was remediated across multiple Apple platforms including visionOS 2.3, Safari 18.3, iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, and tvOS 18.3, indicating a coordinated fix across the entire Apple ecosystem. The technical nature of this flaw falls under the category of improper state handling, which can be classified as a CWE-362 weakness related to race conditions and concurrent access issues. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in web browsing contexts where users may encounter malicious content through various attack vectors including phishing sites, compromised advertisements, or maliciously crafted web applications. The fix implemented through improved state management likely involves enhanced input validation, better memory allocation handling, and more robust error recovery mechanisms that prevent the system from entering an inconsistent state when processing malformed content. Such improvements align with ATT&CK technique T1203 which covers legitimate user execution paths that can be abused to execute malicious code, as the vulnerability could potentially be exploited to disrupt normal system operations through web content manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple process crashes to potentially affect system stability and user productivity across all affected Apple platforms. When a process crashes unexpectedly, it can lead to data loss, application instability, and in some cases, create opportunities for additional exploitation if the crash occurs in a manner that leaves the system in a vulnerable state. The remediation across multiple platforms demonstrates Apple's proactive approach to addressing security concerns that could affect their entire ecosystem, particularly given the interconnected nature of Apple's software platforms. Users running versions prior to the patched releases would have been at risk of experiencing unexpected disruptions while browsing the web, potentially leading to a degraded user experience and increased system maintenance requirements. The fix addresses a fundamental issue in how the operating systems manage their internal state when encountering problematic web content, which is a critical aspect of maintaining system integrity and preventing potential escalation to more severe security incidents.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability represents a baseline risk that was effectively mitigated through proper state management improvements. The fix aligns with security best practices for preventing denial-of-service conditions that can be triggered through web content manipulation. Organizations should prioritize updating to the patched versions across all affected platforms to ensure comprehensive protection against potential exploitation attempts. The remediation approach taken by Apple demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust state management protocols in complex software systems where multiple processes interact with external content. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for continuous security updates and proper input handling mechanisms in web browsers and operating systems. The coordinated patch release across all Apple platforms reflects industry standards for maintaining security consistency and preventing exploitation opportunities that could arise from platform-specific vulnerabilities. Implementation of such fixes typically involves comprehensive testing to ensure that the state management improvements do not introduce new compatibility issues while effectively addressing the original vulnerability conditions.