CVE-2024-44276: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-44276 Overview

CVE-2024-44276 is a cleartext transmission vulnerability [CWE-319] affecting Apple iOS and iPadOS. The flaw allows an attacker in a privileged network position to intercept sensitive information sent over the network without Transport Layer Security (TLS) protection. Apple addressed the issue by enforcing HTTPS for the affected network communication path. The vulnerability is fixed in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2.

Critical Impact
An attacker positioned on the network path between an affected device and a remote endpoint can passively capture or actively manipulate sensitive data transmitted in cleartext.

Affected Products

Apple iOS versions prior to 18.2
Apple iPadOS versions prior to 18.2
Apple devices supporting iOS/iPadOS 18

Discovery Timeline

2025-03-17 - CVE-2024-44276 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-44276

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from an iOS/iPadOS component transmitting sensitive information over the network without using HTTPS. Cleartext transmission exposes payload contents to any party able to observe the network path, including Wi-Fi operators, upstream carriers, and on-path adversaries. Apple's fix enforces HTTPS on the affected code path, ensuring transport-layer encryption and server authentication.

Exploitation requires the attacker to hold a privileged network position, such as an operator of a rogue Wi-Fi access point or an on-path device on a shared network. User interaction is also required, indicating the vulnerable request is triggered by a user-driven action rather than background activity. Successful interception can yield credentials, session tokens, or other sensitive application data.

Root Cause

The underlying weakness is a failure to apply TLS to a network transmission that carries sensitive information. This is categorized under [CWE-319: Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information]. The affected component constructed and sent a request using an unencrypted transport, rather than negotiating an HTTPS connection with certificate validation.

Attack Vector

The attack requires network adjacency in a privileged position, low attack complexity, low privileges, and user interaction. An attacker performing a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack on an untrusted network can capture the cleartext traffic. Because the transport lacks integrity protection, the attacker can also inject or modify payloads in transit, affecting both confidentiality and integrity.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available for CVE-2024-44276. See the Apple Support Article for vendor-supplied technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44276

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected HTTP (port 80) traffic originating from iOS or iPadOS devices to Apple-related or third-party endpoints that should be reached over HTTPS
Presence of rogue Wi-Fi access points or ARP spoofing activity on networks used by mobile devices
TLS downgrade attempts or SSL strip proxy signatures observed in network telemetry

Detection Strategies

Inspect network flow logs for cleartext HTTP requests from mobile clients on version strings prior to iOS/iPadOS 18.2
Correlate device operating system fingerprints from DHCP or user-agent data with unencrypted egress traffic
Monitor for connections to non-standard hosts following association with untrusted wireless networks

Monitoring Recommendations

Log wireless association events and geolocation for enterprise-managed iOS devices via Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Enforce network egress inspection for HTTP traffic from mobile subnets and alert on anomalies
Track iOS/iPadOS version compliance through MDM inventory reports to identify unpatched endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44276

Immediate Actions Required

Update all Apple devices to iOS 18.2 or iPadOS 18.2 or later immediately
Use MDM policies to enforce minimum operating system versions across the fleet
Instruct users to avoid untrusted Wi-Fi networks until patched, and to use a corporate VPN for network egress

Patch Information

Apple released the fix in iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2. The patch addresses the issue by using HTTPS when sending information over the network. Refer to the Apple Support Article for full release notes and additional CVEs addressed in the same update.

Workarounds

Route mobile traffic through an always-on VPN to encapsulate cleartext transmissions inside an encrypted tunnel
Disable auto-join for open and unknown Wi-Fi networks on managed devices
Restrict access to sensitive corporate resources from devices below iOS/iPadOS 18.2 via conditional access policies

bash

# Example MDM configuration profile snippet to enforce minimum OS version
# and require VPN for corporate traffic (Apple Configuration Profile keys)
<key>PayloadType</key>
<string>com.apple.vpn.managed</string>
<key>VPNType</key>
<string>AlwaysOn</string>
<key>MinimumOSVersion</key>
<string>18.2</string>