CVE-2024-44245: Apple iPadOS Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2024-44245 Overview

CVE-2024-44245 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems including macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS. The vulnerability stems from improper memory handling that can be exploited by a malicious application to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory. This memory corruption flaw (CWE-787) represents a significant security risk as it allows attackers with local access to potentially destabilize systems or manipulate kernel-level memory structures.

Critical Impact

A malicious application can exploit improper memory handling to cause system crashes or corrupt kernel memory, potentially leading to denial of service or further system compromise.

Affected Products

• Apple iPadOS (versions prior to 17.7.3 and 18.2)
• Apple iOS (versions prior to 18.2)
• Apple macOS Sequoia (versions prior to 15.2)
• Apple macOS Sonoma (versions prior to 14.7.2)
• Apple visionOS (versions prior to 2.2)

Discovery Timeline

• December 12, 2024 - CVE-2024-44245 published to NVD
• November 3, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-44245

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-Bounds Write), a memory corruption issue that occurs when software writes data past the end or before the beginning of an intended buffer. In the context of Apple's operating systems, this flaw exists within kernel memory handling routines. When exploited, an attacker-controlled application can write arbitrary data to memory locations outside of allocated buffers, potentially corrupting critical kernel data structures.

The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to exploit, meaning an attacker would need to convince a user to run a malicious application or leverage an existing compromised application on the target device. Once triggered, the vulnerability can result in unexpected system termination (kernel panic) or corruption of kernel memory, which could potentially be chained with other vulnerabilities for privilege escalation or persistent compromise.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-44245 is improper memory handling within the Apple operating system kernel. Specifically, the vulnerability exists due to insufficient bounds checking when performing write operations to memory buffers. This allows an application to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries, leading to out-of-bounds memory corruption. Apple addressed this issue by implementing improved memory handling mechanisms that properly validate buffer boundaries before write operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, requiring an attacker to execute a malicious application on the target system. The exploitation scenario involves:

1. An attacker crafts a malicious application designed to trigger the memory handling flaw
2. The victim downloads and executes the malicious application (user interaction required)
3. The application performs operations that trigger the out-of-bounds write condition
4. The kernel memory is corrupted or the system terminates unexpectedly
5. Depending on the specific memory corruption achieved, further exploitation may be possible

The vulnerability does not allow direct remote exploitation, but could be combined with social engineering or other attack vectors to achieve initial application execution on the target device.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44245

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected system crashes or kernel panics without apparent cause
• Applications exhibiting unusual memory access patterns or attempting to allocate abnormally large memory regions
• System logs showing kernel memory corruption errors or unexpected termination events
• Presence of unknown or suspicious applications that were recently installed

Detection Strategies

• Monitor system crash reports and kernel panic logs for patterns indicative of memory corruption exploitation attempts
• Implement application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized applications from executing on managed devices
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying anomalous memory access patterns by applications
• Review Apple device management logs for indicators of compromised or malicious application installations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure centralized logging for Apple devices to capture kernel panic and crash reports for analysis
• Implement real-time alerting for repeated system crashes that may indicate active exploitation attempts
• Monitor Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions for unauthorized application installations
• Establish baseline system behavior to identify deviations that may indicate kernel memory corruption

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44245

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all Apple devices to the latest patched versions immediately (iPadOS 17.7.3+, iOS 18.2+, macOS Sequoia 15.2+, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2+, visionOS 2.2+)
• Review and remove any suspicious or unauthorized applications from affected devices
• Implement application restrictions through MDM solutions to prevent installation of untrusted applications
• Educate users about the risks of installing applications from untrusted sources

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates addressing this vulnerability across all affected platforms. Organizations and users should apply the following updates:

• iPadOS: Update to version 17.7.3 or 18.2 - See Apple Support Advisory #121837
• iOS: Update to version 18.2 - See Apple Support Advisory #121837
• macOS Sequoia: Update to version 15.2 - See Apple Support Advisory #121839
• macOS Sonoma: Update to version 14.7.2 - See Apple Support Advisory #121840
• visionOS: Update to version 2.2 - See Apple Support Advisory #121845

Additional technical details are available in the Full Disclosure mailing list archives.

Workarounds

• Restrict application installations to only Apple App Store verified applications until patches can be applied
• Implement strict MDM policies to prevent sideloading of applications on enterprise devices
• Isolate unpatched devices from sensitive network resources where possible
• Enable Lockdown Mode on iOS/iPadOS devices for high-risk users to reduce attack surface

# Check current macOS version
sw_vers -productVersion

# Check for available updates on macOS
softwareupdate --list

# Install all available updates on macOS
softwareupdate --install --all