CVE-2025-24120
📋 TL;DR
A memory management vulnerability in macOS allows attackers to cause application crashes through improper object lifetime handling. This affects macOS Ventura, Sequoia, and Sonoma users who haven't applied security updates. The vulnerability could lead to denial of service against affected applications.
💻 Affected Systems
- macOS
📦 What is this software?
Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Persistent denial of service affecting critical system services or applications, potentially disrupting business operations or user productivity.
Likely Case
Temporary application crashes affecting user productivity, with potential data loss in unsaved documents or interrupted workflows.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper patching; isolated application crashes that don't affect system stability.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access or user interaction; no public exploit code available at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Ventura 13.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/122068
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install available security updates. 3. Restart the system when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Application Sandboxing
macOSRun potentially vulnerable applications in sandboxed environments to limit impact of crashes.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit who can run applications on affected systems.
- Monitor for application crashes and investigate unusual patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check macOS version in System Settings > General > About. If version is Ventura <13.7.3, Sequoia <15.3, or Sonoma <14.7.3, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
sw_versVerify Fix Applied:
Verify macOS version shows Ventura 13.7.3, Sequoia 15.3, or Sonoma 14.7.3 or later in System Settings > General > About.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected application termination logs in Console.app
- Crash reports in ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/
Network Indicators:
- No network indicators for this local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="macos" AND (event_type="crash" OR message="terminated unexpectedly") AND NOT process_name IN ("expected_crashes")