CVE-2025-43212
📋 TL;DR
A memory handling vulnerability in Apple WebKit (CWE-119) allows malicious web content to cause Safari to crash unexpectedly. This affects users of Safari and Apple operating systems before the patched versions. The vulnerability could potentially be leveraged for denial-of-service attacks against browsers.
💻 Affected Systems
- Safari
- WebKit
📦 What is this software?
Ipados by Apple
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 →Safari by Apple
Tvos by Apple
Watchos by Apple
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to full system compromise if combined with other vulnerabilities, though this specific CVE appears limited to crashes.
Likely Case
Denial-of-service through browser crashes when visiting malicious websites.
If Mitigated
Browser stability issues requiring restart, but no data compromise if sandboxing holds.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user to visit malicious website but no authentication needed. Apple has addressed this in updates.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Safari 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, iOS 18.6, iPadOS 18.6, tvOS 18.6, watchOS 11.6, visionOS 2.6
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/124147
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update. 2. Install all available updates. 3. Restart device when prompted. For Safari-only updates on macOS, update through App Store.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable JavaScript
allPrevents execution of malicious web content that could trigger the vulnerability.
Safari > Settings > Security > uncheck 'Enable JavaScript'
Use Content Blockers
allBlock known malicious domains that might host exploit content.
Install content blocker from App Store and enable in Safari settings
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict browsing to trusted websites only
- Implement network filtering to block access to known malicious domains
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Safari version (Safari > About Safari) and OS version (System Settings > General > About). Compare against patched versions.Check Version:
On macOS: sw_vers && defaults read /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleShortVersionStringVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Safari version is 18.6 or higher and OS version matches patched versions listed above.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Safari crash logs with WebKit process termination
- Unexpected browser restarts in user activity logs
Network Indicators:
- Multiple rapid connections to same malicious domain followed by browser disconnections
SIEM Query:
source="safari_crash.log" AND process="WebKit" AND termination_type="abnormal"🔗 References
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124147
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124149
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124152
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124153
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124154
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/124155
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Aug/0
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jul/30
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jul/32
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jul/36
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/02/1
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/08/msg00015.html
