CVE-2025-24085: Apple Multiple Products Use-After-Free Vulnerability

What it is

A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, watchOS 11.3. A malicious application may be able to elevate privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.

Exploitation evidence

First exploit evidence seen: 2025-01-29 (earliest date across the sources below).

Exploited in the wild

• CISA KEV: listed since 2025-01-29. Source

Public exploit code

Exploit-DB

• EDB-52316: macOS LaunchDaemon iOS 17.2 - Privilege Escalation (2025-06-05)

GitHub proof-of-concept repositories

1 public repositories from 1 accounts, first seen 2025-08-23. Most starred: JGoyd/Glass-Cage-iOS18-CVE-2025-24085-CVE-2025-24201 (42 stars), view repository.

Verify before running: public PoCs can be malicious. Read the code and only run it in an isolated lab. A PoC means exploit code is public, not that this CVE is exploited in the wild.

Sources: CISA KEV · Exploit-DB (OffSec) · nomi-sec/PoC-in-GitHub.

How to fix it

CISA required action

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. (source: CISA KEV)

Fixed versions

• apple ipados: upgrade to 17.7.6 or later
• apple ipados: upgrade to 18.3 or later (affected from 18.0)
• apple iphone os: upgrade to 18.3 or later
• apple macos: upgrade to 13.7.5 or later (affected from 13.0)
• apple macos: upgrade to 14.7.5 or later (affected from 14.0)
• apple macos: upgrade to 15.3 or later (affected from 15.0)
• apple tvos: upgrade to 18.3 or later
• apple visionos: upgrade to 2.3 or later
• apple watchos: upgrade to 11.3 or later

Derived from the NVD CPE configuration (versionEndExcluding / versionEndIncluding). Always confirm with the vendor advisory.

Vendor advisories and patches

• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122066 (CISA KEV notes)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122068 (CISA KEV notes)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122071 (CISA KEV notes)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122072 (CISA KEV notes)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122073 (CISA KEV notes)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122372 (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122374 (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/122375 (Release Notes, Vendor Advisory)

MITRE ATT&CK mitigations for this chain

• M1033 Limit Software Installation (for T1059) : Prevent user installation of unrequired command and scripting interpreters.
• M1045 Code Signing (for T1059) : Where possible, only permit execution of signed scripts.
• M1042 Disable or Remove Feature or Program (for T1059) : Disable or remove any unnecessary or unused shells or interpreters.
• M1038 Execution Prevention (for T1059, T1068) : Use application control where appropriate. For example, PowerShell Constrained Language mode can be used to restrict access to sensitive or otherwise dangerous language elements such as those used to execute arbitrary Windows APIs or files (e.g., `Add-Type`).
• M1049 Antivirus/Antimalware (for T1059) : Anti-virus can be used to automatically quarantine suspicious files.
• M1026 Privileged Account Management (for T1059) : When PowerShell is necessary, consider restricting PowerShell execution policy to administrators. Be aware that there are methods of bypassing the PowerShell execution policy, depending on environment configuration. PowerShell JEA (Just Enough Administration) may also be used to sandbox administration and limit what c
• M1047 Audit (for T1059) : Inventory systems for unauthorized command and scripting interpreter installations.
• M1021 Restrict Web-Based Content (for T1059) : Script blocking extensions can help prevent the execution of scripts and HTA files that may commonly be used during the exploitation process. For malicious code served up through ads, adblockers can help prevent that code from executing in the first place.
• M1040 Behavior Prevention on Endpoint (for T1059) : On Windows 10, enable Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules to prevent [Visual Basic](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/005) and [JavaScript](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1059/007) scripts from executing potentially malicious downloaded content .
• M1051 Update Software (for T1068) : Update software regularly by employing patch management for internal enterprise endpoints and servers.

Detection Generic guidance

• Execution: Watch for the service process spawning shells or script interpreters (cmd.exe, powershell, sh, bash, python) via EDR process-tree rules.
• Privilege Escalation: Alert on processes gaining SYSTEM/root unexpectedly, and on exploitation crashes of privileged services.

Response checklist Generic guidance

1. Inventory: find every instance of the affected product and version (include internet-facing and forgotten ones).
2. Patch or mitigate per the vendor advisory; if you cannot patch, remove internet exposure or apply the vendor workaround.
3. Assume compromise if the system was exposed before patching: hunt for the indicators in the advisory and review logs back to the disclosure date.
4. Rotate credentials and secrets stored on or used by the affected system if compromise cannot be ruled out.