CVE-2025-24270: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-24270 Overview

CVE-2025-24270 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems including macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and visionOS. This vulnerability allows an attacker positioned on the local network to potentially leak sensitive user information from affected devices. Apple addressed this issue by removing the vulnerable code entirely from the affected products.

Critical Impact

An attacker on the local network may be able to leak sensitive user information from vulnerable Apple devices, potentially exposing personal data, credentials, or other confidential information.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS Sequoia (versions prior to 15.4)
• Apple macOS Sonoma (versions prior to 14.7.5)
• Apple macOS Ventura (versions prior to 13.7.5)
• Apple iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 (versions prior to 18.4)
• Apple iPadOS 17 (versions prior to 17.7.6)
• Apple tvOS (versions prior to 18.4)
• Apple visionOS (versions prior to 2.4)

Discovery Timeline

• April 29, 2025 - CVE-2025-24270 published to NVD
• April 30, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24270

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The flaw exists in code that was present across Apple's entire ecosystem of operating systems, indicating a shared component or framework that handles network communications or data exposure.

The vulnerability requires the attacker to be positioned on the same local network as the victim device. While user interaction is required for successful exploitation, the attack complexity is low once the attacker achieves the necessary network position. The impact is limited to confidentiality, meaning successful exploitation results in unauthorized access to sensitive information without affecting the integrity or availability of the system.

Root Cause

The root cause stems from vulnerable code that improperly handled or exposed sensitive user information over local network communications. Apple's remediation approach of completely removing the vulnerable code rather than patching it suggests the functionality was either unnecessary or could be implemented through more secure means. This type of information disclosure vulnerability typically occurs when applications inadvertently broadcast or respond to network queries with data that should remain protected.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is classified as Adjacent Network, meaning the attacker must have access to the same network segment as the target device. This could include scenarios such as:

• An attacker connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the victim (corporate, public, or home networks)
• An attacker with physical access to the same network infrastructure
• Compromised devices on the local network being used as attack pivot points

The attacker would leverage the vulnerable code's behavior to extract sensitive user information from the target device. While user interaction is required, social engineering techniques or passive monitoring could be employed to capture data when users perform normal device operations.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24270

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network traffic patterns originating from Apple devices on local network segments
• Unexpected broadcast or multicast communications from iOS, macOS, tvOS, or visionOS devices
• Anomalous responses to network discovery protocols or queries
• Evidence of sensitive data transmission over unencrypted local network channels

Detection Strategies

• Monitor local network traffic for suspicious data exfiltration patterns from Apple devices
• Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of Apple devices to untrusted network participants
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for abnormal network behavior
• Review system logs for evidence of information disclosure events

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging on network infrastructure to capture local network communications
• Utilize SentinelOne Singularity platform for real-time monitoring of Apple endpoints
• Implement network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) to identify potential exploitation attempts
• Establish baseline network behavior for Apple devices to detect anomalous activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24270

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all affected Apple devices to the latest patched versions immediately
• Isolate unpatched devices from untrusted network segments until updates can be applied
• Review network architecture to ensure proper segmentation between trusted and untrusted zones
• Educate users about the risks of connecting to untrusted networks until patches are deployed

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates that address this vulnerability by removing the vulnerable code entirely. Organizations should apply the following updates:

• macOS Sequoia: Update to version 15.4 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122371)
• macOS Sonoma: Update to version 14.7.5 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122372)
• macOS Ventura: Update to version 13.7.5 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122373)
• iOS 18 and iPadOS 18: Update to version 18.4 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122374)
• iPadOS 17: Update to version 17.7.6 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122375)
• tvOS: Update to version 18.4 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122377)
• visionOS: Update to version 2.4 or later (Apple Support Advisory #122378)

Workarounds

• Avoid connecting vulnerable devices to untrusted or public Wi-Fi networks until patched
• Implement strict network access controls to limit who can join the local network
• Use VPN connections to encrypt traffic and reduce exposure on shared networks
• Enable firewall rules on local network infrastructure to restrict unnecessary inter-device communications

# Verify macOS version to confirm patch status
sw_vers -productVersion
# Expected output for patched systems: 15.4 (Sequoia), 14.7.5 (Sonoma), or 13.7.5 (Ventura)

# Check for available updates on macOS
softwareupdate --list