CVE-2025-24201
CVE-2025-24201 is a security flaw in Apple devices, the software on Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs. Attackers can corrupt memory in Apple devices, which they use to take it over. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 13 Mar 2025.[1]
Apple devices is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Fixed in version 18.3.1, 15.8.4, 16.7.11 and 18.3.2 and others.
Description
CISA calls it a webKit out-of-bounds write in Apple Multiple Products. In its words: “Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple products contain an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in WebKit that may allow maliciously crafted web content to break out of Web Content sandbox. This vulnerability could impact HTML parsers that use WebKit, including but not limited to Apple Safari and non-Apple products which rely on WebKit for HTML processing.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved checks to prevent unauthorized actions. This issue is fixed in Safari 18.3.1, iOS 15.8.4 and iPadOS 15.8.4, iOS 16.7.11 and iPadOS 16.7.11, iOS 18.3.2 and iPadOS 18.3.2, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.3.2, visionOS 2.3.2, watchOS 11.4. Maliciously crafted web content may be able to break out of Web Content sandbox. This is a supplementary fix for an attack that was blocked in iOS 17.2. (Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.).”[2]
The underlying weakness is out-of-bounds write (CWE-787), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 10.0 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Safari | 18.3.1 |
| iOS and iPadOS | 15.8.4 |
| iOS and iPadOS | 16.7.11 |
| iOS and iPadOS | 18.3.2 |
| iPadOS | 17.7.6 |
| macOS | 15.3.2 |
| visionOS | 2.3.2 |
| watchOS | 11.4 |
Every device with Apple devices needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 13 Mar 2025, 2 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 Apr 2025 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 4%. That’s in the top 10% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Apple has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Update Apple devices now.On iPhone and iPad: Settings, General, Software Update. On a Mac: System Settings, General, Software Update. Install it on every Apple device in the house. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- Check you’re on 18.3.1 or later.Fixed in version 18.3.1, 15.8.4, 16.7.11 and 18.3.2 and others. Anything older is what attackers are going after.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 10.0.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 4%.[4] |
See also
Other Apple devices flaws
- CVE-2026-86950: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2025-43520: classic buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2025-43510: improper locking ·
- CVE-2025-31277: buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2023-43000: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2021-30952: integer overflow or wraparound ·
Other out-of-bounds write flaws
- CVE-2026-53266, Linux Kernel: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2026-87491, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: out of bounds write ·
- CVE-2026-53362, Linux Kernel: unspecified ·
- CVE-2022-0995, Linux Kernel: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2026-11645, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: out-of-bounds read and write ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2025-21590, Juniper Junos OS: improper isolation or compartmentalization ·
Every Apple flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2025
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Apple Multiple Products WebKit Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 13 Mar 2025.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2025-24201 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 11 Mar 2025.
- ^ Apple. Advisories and fixes: support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, and 3 more on NVD’s record.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.038, percentile 90.1, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2025-24201”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.