CVE-2025-43529
CVE-2025-43529 is a security flaw in Apple devices, the software on Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs. Attackers can run their own code on Apple devices. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 15 Dec 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 26.2 and 18.7.3.
Description
CISA calls it an use-after-free webKit in Apple Multiple Products. In its words: “Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other Apple products contain a use-after-free vulnerability in WebKit. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to memory corruption. 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: “A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 26.2, iOS 18.7.3 and iPadOS 18.7.3, iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, tvOS 26.2, visionOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. 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 26. CVE-2025-14174 was also issued in response to this report.”[2]
The underlying weakness is use after free (CWE-416), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 8.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, 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 |
|---|---|
| Safari | 26.2 |
| iOS and iPadOS | 18.7.3 |
| iOS and iPadOS | 26.2 |
| macOS | 26.2 |
| tvOS | 26.2 |
| visionOS | 26.2 |
| watchOS | 26.2 |
Every device with Apple devices needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 15 Dec 2025. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 5 Jan 2026 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 26%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
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 26.2 or later.Fixed in version 26.2 and 18.7.3. 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 |
|---|---|
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 8.8.[2] | |
| 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 26%.[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 use after free flaws
- CVE-2026-109619, PHP: stale internal request-state ·
- CVE-2026-109618, PHP: memory corruption ·
- CVE-2026-68820, Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2010-0249, Microsoft Internet Explorer: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2020-9715, Adobe Acrobat: use-after-free ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2025-14611, Gladinet CentreStack and Triofox: hard coded cryptographic ·
Every Apple flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in December 2025
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Apple Multiple Products Use-After-Free WebKit Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 15 Dec 2025.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2025-43529 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 17 Dec 2025.
- ^ Apple. Advisories and fixes: support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, and 2 more on NVD’s record.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.257, percentile 98.0, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2025-43529”. 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.