CVE-2025-31201
CVE-2025-31201 is a security flaw in Apple devices, the software on Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs. Attackers are using a flaw in Apple devices. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 17 Apr 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 18.4.1, 15.4.1 and 2.4.1.
Description
CISA calls it an arbitrary read and write in Apple Multiple Products. In its words: “Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple products contain an arbitrary read and write vulnerability that allows an attacker to bypass Pointer Authentication.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, visionOS 2.4.1. An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS.”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-1220, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by the organisation that published the CVE 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 |
|---|---|
| iOS and iPadOS | 18.4.1 |
| macOS | 15.4.1 |
| tvOS | 18.4.1 |
| visionOS | 2.4.1 |
Every device with Apple devices needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 17 Apr 2025, within a day of it being made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 8 May 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 14%. That’s in the top 4% 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 18.4.1 or later.Fixed in version 18.4.1, 15.4.1 and 2.4.1. 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 9.8.[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 14%.[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 ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2026-56155, Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services: insufficient granularity of access control ·
- CVE-2026-33825, Microsoft Defender: insufficient granularity of access control ·
- CVE-2021-36934, Microsoft Windows: SAM local privilege escalation ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2025-31200, Apple devices: memory corruption ·
- CVE-2025-24054, Microsoft Windows: NTLM hash disclosure spoofing ·
Every Apple flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in April 2025
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Apple Multiple Products Arbitrary Read and Write Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 17 Apr 2025.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2025-31201 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 16 Apr 2025.
- ^ Apple. Advisories and fixes: support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.140, percentile 96.5, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2025-31201”. 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.