CVE-2025-43532 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2025
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in watchOS 26.2, macOS Sonoma 14.8.3, iOS 18.7.3 and iPadOS 18.7.3, iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, macOS Sequoia 15.7.3, visionOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2. Processing malicious data may lead to unexpected app termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2025
This memory corruption vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that affects multiple Apple operating systems including watchOS, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS, and tvOS. The issue stems from inadequate bounds checking mechanisms within the system's memory management processes, creating potential entry points for malicious actors to exploit. According to Apple's security advisories, the vulnerability was addressed through enhanced bounds checking protocols that prevent unauthorized memory access patterns. The affected versions span across several major releases including macOS Sonoma 14.8.3, iOS 18.7.3, and their respective companion operating systems, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient bounds checking, making it a well-documented and predictable weakness in memory management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges within the affected systems. When malicious data is processed by vulnerable applications, the system's memory management routines may fail to properly validate data boundaries, leading to buffer overflows or underflows that can cause unexpected application termination. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK framework technique T1059, where adversaries might exploit memory corruption vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The fact that multiple operating systems share this vulnerability suggests a common underlying architecture flaw that affects the core memory management components across Apple's platforms.
From a mitigation perspective, Apple's release of patched versions across all affected platforms provides the primary defense mechanism against exploitation. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates, particularly for systems handling sensitive data or operating in high-risk environments. The patched versions implement enhanced bounds checking that validates memory access patterns before allowing data processing, effectively preventing the conditions that previously led to memory corruption. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for unusual application termination patterns or memory access anomalies that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's resolution through improved bounds checking demonstrates Apple's ongoing commitment to addressing fundamental security weaknesses in their operating system architectures, aligning with industry best practices for memory safety and secure coding standards.