CVE-2025-31229: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-31229 Overview

CVE-2025-31229 is a critical logic issue vulnerability affecting Apple iOS and iPadOS devices. The flaw exists in the VoiceOver accessibility feature, which may inadvertently read aloud the device passcode. This represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that could expose sensitive authentication credentials to unauthorized parties within audible range of an affected device.

Critical Impact

An attacker within audible proximity of an affected device could potentially obtain the device passcode when VoiceOver accessibility features are enabled, leading to complete device compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive user data.

Affected Products

• Apple iOS (versions prior to 18.6)
• Apple iPadOS (versions prior to 18.6)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-07-30 - CVE-2025-31229 published to NVD
• 2025-11-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31229

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from a logic flaw in the VoiceOver accessibility feature implementation on Apple iOS and iPadOS devices. VoiceOver is a screen reader that allows visually impaired users to interact with their devices through audio feedback. Under specific conditions, the VoiceOver feature fails to properly handle passcode input fields, resulting in the passcode being audibly announced rather than masked or silenced.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-261 (Weak Encoding for Password), as the system fails to adequately protect the passcode from being exposed through the audio feedback mechanism. This represents a fundamental flaw in how sensitive authentication data is handled within the accessibility subsystem.

The attack can be executed remotely over a network without requiring any user interaction or prior authentication, making it particularly dangerous in scenarios where devices are used in public spaces or shared environments.

Root Cause

The root cause is a logic error in the VoiceOver accessibility feature's handling of passcode input fields. The system fails to properly apply security checks that should prevent sensitive authentication credentials from being processed by the text-to-speech engine. Apple addressed this by implementing improved logic checks to ensure passcode fields are properly identified and excluded from VoiceOver audio output.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-31229 is network-based with low attack complexity. An attacker does not need any privileges or user interaction to exploit this vulnerability. The exploitation scenario involves:

1. A victim device running a vulnerable version of iOS or iPadOS with VoiceOver enabled
2. The user entering their passcode while the accessibility feature is active
3. VoiceOver inadvertently announcing the passcode audibly
4. An attacker within audible range capturing the spoken passcode

The vulnerability could be exploited in various scenarios, including:

• Remote monitoring through compromised audio channels or recordings
• Physical proximity attacks in public spaces
• Social engineering combined with audio surveillance

Since no verified code examples are available for this vulnerability, the exploitation mechanism involves triggering the VoiceOver feature during passcode entry. The technical details of the logic flaw are documented in the Apple Support Document and the Full Disclosure Mailing List Post.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31229

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected VoiceOver activation during passcode entry on iOS/iPadOS devices
• Audio recordings containing device passcodes in enterprise MDM logs
• Reports from users of passcodes being spoken aloud during authentication
• Unusual accessibility feature behavior patterns on managed devices

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Mobile Device Management (MDM) logs for VoiceOver accessibility feature usage patterns
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify vulnerable iOS/iPadOS versions in the environment
• Deploy SentinelOne mobile threat defense to detect and alert on unpatched Apple devices
• Review enterprise device inventory for iOS versions prior to 18.6

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable enhanced logging for accessibility feature usage on managed Apple devices
• Implement network monitoring for devices running vulnerable iOS/iPadOS versions
• Configure alerts in SentinelOne console for devices requiring critical security updates
• Establish baseline behavior patterns for VoiceOver usage to detect anomalies

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31229

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all Apple iOS devices to version 18.6 or later immediately
• Update all Apple iPadOS devices to version 18.6 or later immediately
• Prioritize patching for devices with VoiceOver accessibility features enabled
• Review and audit any devices that may have been exposed while running vulnerable versions

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates to address this vulnerability. The fix is included in iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, which implement improved logic checks to prevent the passcode from being read aloud by VoiceOver.

For detailed patch information, refer to the Apple Support Document.

To apply the patch:

1. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update
2. Download and install iOS/iPadOS 18.6 or later
3. Restart the device after installation

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable VoiceOver accessibility feature on affected devices until patching is possible (Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver)
• Use alternative authentication methods such as Face ID or Touch ID instead of passcode entry
• Ensure passcode entry occurs in private environments without potential audio surveillance
• Consider using headphones with VoiceOver to reduce audio exposure risk

# MDM Configuration - Enforce minimum iOS version
# Add to your MDM configuration profile
# Requires iOS 18.6 as minimum version for enrollment
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess</string>
            <key>forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <false/>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>