CVE-2025-24266 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 04/01/2025
A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2025
This vulnerability represents a classic buffer overflow condition that could potentially lead to system instability and arbitrary code execution. The flaw exists within the operating system's memory management mechanisms where insufficient bounds checking allows malicious data to overwrite adjacent memory regions. The issue affects multiple versions of apple's macos operating system including Ventura 13.7.5, Sequoia 15.4, and Sonoma 14.7.5, indicating a widespread impact across the platform's ecosystem. The vulnerability's classification aligns with cwe-121 buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows data to be written beyond the allocated buffer space, potentially corrupting adjacent memory locations and causing system crashes or unpredictable behavior.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an application attempts to write data beyond the boundaries of a pre-allocated buffer structure. This condition can be triggered through malformed input or crafted data sequences that exceed the buffer's capacity, leading to memory corruption that may result in unexpected system termination. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with cwe-787 out-of-bounds write conditions where a program writes to memory beyond the boundaries of a buffer, potentially overwriting critical system data structures or executable code. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to cause denial of service conditions or potentially escalate privileges by overwriting function pointers or return addresses in memory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system crashes as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks. When an application causes unexpected system termination, it creates opportunities for persistent exploitation that could be used to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability affects the fundamental stability of the operating system and could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where system reliability is critical. Organizations running affected versions of macos should consider this vulnerability as a potential entry point for advanced persistent threats that could compromise sensitive data or establish persistent backdoors within their networks. The issue also impacts the overall security posture by creating potential attack vectors that could be combined with other vulnerabilities to achieve more severe consequences.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment across all affected macos versions to ensure proper bounds checking is enforced throughout the system's memory management functions. System administrators should prioritize updating to the patched versions of macos Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, and macOS Sonoma 14.7.5 to eliminate the buffer overflow conditions. Additional defensive measures include implementing application sandboxing to limit the potential impact of malicious applications, monitoring system logs for unusual termination patterns, and conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify other potential buffer overflow conditions within the system. The remediation process should also include network segmentation to limit lateral movement if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, as well as regular security audits to ensure all system components are properly updated and patched according to industry best practices.