CVE-2025-24247 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-24247 represents a type confusion issue that affects Apple's macOS operating system across multiple versions including Ventura 13.7.5, Sequoia 15.4, and Sonoma 14.7.5. Type confusion vulnerabilities occur when a program incorrectly handles data types during execution, leading to situations where memory operations intended for one data type are performed on another, potentially resulting in unpredictable behavior and system instability. This particular flaw falls under the CWE-843 category of "Access of Resource Using Incompatible Type" which specifically addresses scenarios where software uses resources in ways that are incompatible with their expected types. The vulnerability manifests when applications process data structures that contain mixed or improperly validated type information, creating opportunities for malicious actors to exploit the inconsistency in type handling mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this type confusion issue involves memory management failures within macOS kernel components or system libraries that handle object instantiation and type validation. When an application or system process encounters improperly validated type information during runtime operations, the system may attempt to execute operations on memory locations that do not correspond to the expected data structures. This misalignment can lead to memory corruption, arbitrary code execution, or unexpected application termination as described in the vulnerability report. The fix implemented by Apple includes enhanced type checking mechanisms that validate data types before processing operations, ensuring that memory access patterns align with the actual type information of the data being manipulated. These improvements typically involve adding additional validation routines and strengthening the type safety mechanisms within the operating system's core components.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-24247 extends beyond simple application crashes, as the vulnerability could potentially enable more sophisticated attack vectors when combined with other exploitation techniques. While the current description indicates that the primary effect is unexpected application termination, type confusion vulnerabilities often serve as stepping stones for more severe attacks including privilege escalation, information disclosure, or system compromise. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability as part of a broader exploitation strategy, particularly when targeting applications with elevated privileges or system services that handle untrusted input. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation through software exploitation and defense evasion by causing system instability to mask malicious activities. Organizations should consider the potential for this vulnerability to be exploited in conjunction with other weaknesses in their security posture, particularly in environments where macOS systems handle sensitive data or operate in high-risk network segments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-24247 primarily focus on immediate system updates and patch management protocols to ensure all affected macOS installations are upgraded to versions containing the necessary fixes. System administrators should prioritize deployment of the updated macOS versions as soon as possible, particularly in environments where security is paramount such as financial institutions, government agencies, or critical infrastructure organizations. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, monitoring for unusual application termination patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and maintaining comprehensive backup and recovery procedures to address potential system instability. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning to identify similar type confusion issues in other software components within the organization's technology stack. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and sandboxing mechanisms to limit the potential impact of any exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed logging of system processes to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate successful exploitation of this or similar vulnerabilities.