CVE-2025-24237: Apple iPadOS Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2025-24237 Overview

CVE-2025-24237 is a buffer overflow vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and watchOS. The flaw stems from insufficient bounds checking in an unspecified component. A malicious application processing crafted input can trigger memory corruption and cause unexpected system termination. Apple addressed the issue in iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, visionOS 2.4, and watchOS 11.4. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-120] (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input).

Critical Impact

An attacker-controlled app can trigger memory corruption leading to system-wide instability and potential code execution paths across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision Pro, and Apple Watch devices.

Affected Products

• Apple iOS and iPadOS (versions prior to 18.4 and iPadOS 17.7.6)
• Apple macOS Sequoia (prior to 15.4), Sonoma (prior to 14.7.5), and Ventura (prior to 13.7.5)
• Apple visionOS (prior to 2.4) and watchOS (prior to 11.4)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-31 - CVE-2025-24237 published to NVD
• 2026-04-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24237

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a classic buffer overflow ([CWE-120]) within a shared component used across Apple's operating system family. An application running on the affected platform can supply input that exceeds the size of a destination buffer. Because bounds were not validated before the copy operation, adjacent memory becomes corrupted. Apple's advisory states this leads to unexpected system termination, which indicates the corruption is reachable at runtime through normal application interfaces.

The broad set of affected platforms suggests the vulnerable code lives in shared system frameworks rather than a single product-specific component. This explains why patches were published simultaneously across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and watchOS branches.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or inadequate length validation before copying data into a fixed-size buffer. Apple's fix adds explicit bounds checking to prevent writes beyond the allocated memory region. Without this validation, attacker-controlled input lengths overwrite adjacent stack or heap structures.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires the attacker to run a malicious app on the target device. Once executed, the app triggers the vulnerable code path with oversized input. The documented effect is denial of service through system termination, though memory corruption flaws of this class can sometimes be escalated to arbitrary code execution depending on the surrounding allocator and mitigation context. No public proof-of-concept code is currently available. Technical details remain limited to Apple's advisories and the disclosed entries on the Full Disclosure mailing list referenced in the Apple Security Updates portal.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24237

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected kernel panics, springboard resets, or system reboots on Apple endpoints running pre-patch OS versions
• Crash reports referencing buffer overflow signatures or memory corruption faults in shared system frameworks
• Installation of unsigned or sideloaded applications immediately preceding device instability

Detection Strategies

• Inventory Apple devices and compare installed OS build numbers against the patched versions (iOS/iPadOS 18.4, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS 15.4 / 14.7.5 / 13.7.5, visionOS 2.4, watchOS 11.4)
• Monitor MDM telemetry for repeated crash events tied to specific application bundle identifiers
• Review application install logs and provisioning profiles for unapproved third-party apps capable of triggering the flaw

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward Apple endpoint crash logs and diagnostic reports to a centralized log analytics platform for correlation
• Establish baseline crash rates per OS version so deviations indicating exploitation attempts are visible
• Track app installation events through MDM and EDR telemetry, correlating new installs with subsequent system terminations

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24237

Immediate Actions Required

• Deploy Apple's security updates to all managed devices: iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, visionOS 2.4, and watchOS 11.4
• Enforce update compliance through MDM with deadline-based enforcement policies
• Restrict installation of untrusted applications through MDM configuration profiles and App Store restrictions

Patch Information

Apple published fixes across its operating system lineup. Refer to the official advisories: Apple Support Article #122371, Apple Support Article #122372, Apple Support Article #122373, Apple Support Article #122374, Apple Support Article #122375, Apple Support Article #122376, and Apple Support Article #122378. Each advisory lists the specific build numbers and components patched.

Workarounds

• No vendor-provided workaround exists; patching is the only supported remediation
• Limit application sources to the official App Store and signed enterprise distributions until updates are applied
• Enable Lockdown Mode on high-risk user devices to reduce the attack surface available to malicious applications

# Verify patched build on macOS
sw_vers

# Verify patched build on iOS/iPadOS via MDM query (example: Jamf)
# Inspect 'OS Version' attribute and confirm against patched releases:
#   iOS/iPadOS 18.4, iPadOS 17.7.6
#   macOS 15.4, 14.7.5, 13.7.5
#   visionOS 2.4, watchOS 11.4