CVE-2025-43374
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows an attacker in physical proximity to cause an out-of-bounds read in kernel memory on Apple devices. It affects multiple Apple operating systems including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and watchOS. The attacker could potentially read sensitive kernel data.
💻 Affected Systems
- iPhone
- iPad
- Mac
- Apple Vision Pro
- Apple Watch
📦 What is this software?
Ipados by Apple
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 →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 →Watchos by Apple
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker could read sensitive kernel memory, potentially exposing cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other privileged system information.
Likely Case
Limited information disclosure from kernel memory, potentially revealing system state or configuration details.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper physical security controls preventing unauthorized physical access to devices.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires physical proximity and knowledge of the vulnerability. No authentication is required once physical access is obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: iPadOS 17.7.7, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, visionOS 2.5, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3, macOS Ventura 13.7.3, macOS Sequoia 15.5, watchOS 11.5
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/122069
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update on iOS/iPadOS/watchOS/visionOS devices. 2. On macOS, go to System Settings > General > Software Update. 3. Download and install the latest available update. 4. Restart the device after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Physical Security Controls
allImplement strict physical security measures to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices.
Device Locking
allEnsure devices are locked with strong passwords/biometrics when not in use.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict physical access controls and surveillance for devices
- Isolate vulnerable devices in secure areas with limited physical access
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check current OS version against affected versions list. On iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About > Version. On macOS: Apple menu > About This Mac > macOS version.Check Version:
iOS/iPadOS/watchOS/visionOS: Settings > General > About > Version. macOS: sw_vers or System Information app.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify OS version matches or exceeds the patched versions listed in the fix information.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs, unusual system crashes, or memory access violation logs
Network Indicators:
- No network indicators - physical access required
SIEM Query:
Search for kernel panic events or system crash reports on Apple devices