CVE-2025-24107: Apple iPadOS Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-24107 Overview

CVE-2025-24107 is a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems including macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS. The vulnerability stems from a permissions issue that was addressed with additional restrictions. When successfully exploited, a malicious application can gain root privileges on the affected device, providing complete control over the system.

This vulnerability represents a significant security concern for enterprise environments managing Apple devices, as it could allow attackers who have achieved initial code execution to escalate their privileges to the highest level on the system.

Critical Impact

A malicious app may be able to gain root privileges, allowing complete system compromise and unauthorized access to all data and system functions.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS (versions prior to Sequoia 15.3)
• Apple iOS and iPadOS (versions prior to 18.3)
• Apple tvOS (versions prior to 18.3)
• Apple watchOS (versions prior to 11.3)

Discovery Timeline

• January 27, 2025 - CVE-2025-24107 published to NVD
• November 03, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24107

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions), indicating that system resources are created or managed with overly permissive access controls. The flaw allows a local application to bypass intended security restrictions and elevate its privileges to root level.

The attack requires local access, meaning an attacker must first have the ability to execute code on the target device. This could be achieved through various means such as tricking a user into installing a malicious application, exploiting another vulnerability for initial access, or through compromised third-party applications.

Once a malicious application is running on the device, it can exploit the improper permission handling to gain unauthorized elevated privileges. With root access, an attacker would have complete control over the device, including the ability to access protected data, install persistent malware, modify system configurations, and potentially pivot to other devices on the network.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper permission handling within the affected Apple operating systems. The system failed to properly restrict certain operations or resources, allowing applications to access or manipulate system components that should require elevated privileges. Apple addressed this by implementing additional restrictions to enforce proper permission boundaries.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-24107 is local, requiring an attacker to have the ability to execute a malicious application on the target device. The exploitation scenario typically involves:

1. An attacker creates a malicious application designed to exploit the permissions vulnerability
2. The victim installs and runs the malicious application (potentially through social engineering or app store compromise)
3. The application exploits the improper permission handling to escalate privileges to root
4. With root access, the attacker gains complete control over the device

The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond the initial application execution, and can be exploited with low attack complexity once the malicious app is running.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24107

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected processes running with root privileges that were not initiated by system administrators
• Unusual system configuration changes or permission modifications on critical system files
• Applications exhibiting behavior inconsistent with their stated functionality, particularly accessing system resources
• Suspicious entries in system logs indicating privilege escalation attempts

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for applications attempting to access or modify protected system resources without proper authorization
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying privilege escalation techniques
• Review installed applications for unauthorized or suspicious software that could serve as an exploitation vector
• Enable comprehensive audit logging for privileged operations on macOS, iOS, and other affected platforms

Monitoring Recommendations

• Deploy SentinelOne agents on all Apple endpoints to detect and prevent privilege escalation attempts in real-time
• Configure alerts for any process that unexpectedly gains root privileges
• Implement application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized applications from executing
• Regularly audit device configurations and installed applications across the fleet

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24107

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all affected Apple devices to the patched versions immediately: macOS Sequoia 15.3, iOS/iPadOS 18.3, tvOS 18.3, and watchOS 11.3
• Audit all devices in your environment to ensure none are running vulnerable versions
• Review recently installed applications on affected devices for potential malicious software
• Enable automatic updates on all Apple devices where possible to ensure timely patching

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates that address this vulnerability with additional permission restrictions. The following versions contain the fix:

• macOS Sequoia 15.3 - See Apple Security Advisory #122066
• iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3 - See Apple Security Advisory #122068
• tvOS 18.3 - See Apple Security Advisory #122071
• watchOS 11.3 - See Apple Security Advisory #122072

Organizations should prioritize patching based on device exposure and criticality, with user-facing devices receiving updates first.

Workarounds

• Restrict application installations to only trusted, verified sources (App Store for consumer devices, managed distribution for enterprise)
• Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) policies to control which applications can be installed on corporate devices
• Apply principle of least privilege for user accounts to limit the initial access attackers could leverage
• Monitor devices for anomalous behavior using endpoint detection solutions until patches can be applied

# Check macOS version to verify patch status
sw_vers -productVersion
# Should return 15.3 or higher for macOS Sequoia

# Check iOS/iPadOS version via MDM or device Settings > General > About
# Should return 18.3 or higher

# Force software update check on macOS
softwareupdate --list
softwareupdate --install --all