CVE-2025-43444: Apple iPadOS Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-43444 Overview

CVE-2025-43444 is a permissions issue affecting multiple Apple operating systems that allows an application to fingerprint the user. Apple addressed the issue by applying additional restrictions on access to protected resources. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-276] Incorrect Default Permissions and stems from insufficient access controls on data that can be used to uniquely identify a device or user. Apple has released fixes in iOS 18.7.2, iPadOS 18.7.2, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, and watchOS 26.1.

Critical Impact
A locally installed application can collect device or user attributes without authorization, enabling persistent user fingerprinting and cross-app tracking.

Affected Products

Apple iOS and iPadOS versions prior to 18.7.2 and 26.1
Apple macOS Tahoe versions prior to 26.1
Apple tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS versions prior to 26.1

Discovery Timeline

2025-11-04 - CVE-2025-43444 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-43444

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability results from insufficient permission enforcement on system resources or APIs that expose device-specific attributes. An application running on an affected Apple operating system can query these attributes and combine them to build a stable fingerprint of the user or device. This fingerprint can survive app reinstalls and persist across sessions, undermining the privacy boundaries Apple normally enforces between apps.

The issue is limited to confidentiality impact. It does not permit code execution, privilege escalation, or modification of system state. However, fingerprinting data is valuable to advertising, tracking, and targeted-attack workflows because it links user activity across otherwise isolated app contexts.

Root Cause

Apple's advisory states the root cause is a permissions issue [CWE-276] that has been addressed with additional restrictions. The affected code paths did not enforce sufficiently strict access controls before returning identifying data, allowing sandboxed apps to obtain values that should have been gated behind stronger entitlements or user consent.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a malicious or privacy-abusive application to be installed on the device. Once installed, the app invokes the affected APIs, aggregates the returned attributes into a stable identifier, and transmits the fingerprint to a remote server. No user interaction beyond installing the app is required, and no additional privileges are needed. See the Apple Support Document #125632 and related advisories for platform-specific fix details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-43444

Indicators of Compromise

Applications making repeated calls to device attribute or configuration APIs beyond what their declared functionality requires.
Outbound network traffic from mobile or desktop apps containing hashed or concatenated device identifiers sent to advertising or analytics endpoints.
Installed apps with entitlements or SDK components known to perform aggressive device profiling.

Detection Strategies

Inventory managed Apple devices and flag those running OS versions below iOS/iPadOS 18.7.2, iOS/iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, or watchOS 26.1.
Review Mobile Device Management (MDM) app inventories for third-party applications with a history of privacy violations or embedded tracking SDKs.
Correlate DNS and TLS SNI telemetry with known ad-tech and fingerprinting service domains to identify apps performing covert profiling.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable and forward MDM compliance events to a central logging platform so out-of-date OS versions are surfaced continuously.
Monitor App Privacy Reports on iOS and iPadOS for anomalous sensor and data-access patterns.
Track network egress from mobile fleets and alert on connections to fingerprinting or tracking infrastructure.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-43444

Immediate Actions Required

Update all Apple devices to iOS 18.7.2, iPadOS 18.7.2, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, or watchOS 26.1.
Enforce minimum OS version policies through MDM to block noncompliant devices from accessing corporate resources.
Audit installed applications and remove any that request excessive device attribute access without a clear business need.

Patch Information

Apple has released patches across its product line. Reference the vendor advisories: Apple Support Document #125632, #125633, #125634, #125637, #125638, and #125639 for the specific fix in each OS.

Workarounds

Restrict app installation to vetted sources and enforce app allowlisting through MDM configuration profiles.
Disable or limit permissions such as advertising identifiers, local network access, and Bluetooth for apps that do not require them.
Educate users to review App Privacy Reports and revoke access from apps exhibiting excessive data collection.

bash

# Example MDM compliance query to identify vulnerable Apple devices
# Replace with your MDM's specific syntax
mdm-cli devices list \
  --filter "os_family=iOS AND os_version<18.7.2" \
  --output json

mdm-cli devices list \
  --filter "os_family=macOS AND os_version<26.1" \
  --output json