CVE-2025-24241: Critical Vulnerability in Apple’s macOS
A critical vulnerability has been identified in Apple’s macOS, iOS, and iPadOS products, known as CVE-2025-24241. This flaw impacts versions of macOS prior to Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, iPadOS 17.7.6, iOS 18.4, and tvOS 18.4. It allows malicious apps to potentially trick users into copying sensitive data to the pasteboard, posing significant risks to user privacy and security.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms, which can allow a malicious application to deceive a user into copying confidential information onto the system’s pasteboard. This creates an opportunity for unauthorized access and further exploitation of sensitive data.
The affected macOS systems were vulnerable due to configuration issues, which have now been addressed by Apple with additional restrictions. This vulnerability is particularly critical as it can be exploited remotely without requiring user interaction, making it highly exploitable.
CVSS Score and Impact
The CVSS score for CVE-2025-24241 is 9.8, reflecting its critical severity. The CVSS vector for this vulnerability is:
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Attack Vector: Network (remote exploit possible)
- Complexity: Low (easy to exploit)
- User Interaction: None required
- Impact: High impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data
Apple’s Response
Apple has responded quickly by releasing updates for macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, iPadOS 17.7.6, iOS 18.4, and tvOS 18.4. These updates include enhanced checks to prevent unauthorized applications from gaining access to the pasteboard, ensuring data security and system stability.
Conclusion
Given the severity of CVE-2025-24241, it is highly recommended that users of affected macOS, iOS, and iPadOS versions immediately update their systems. Regular updates are crucial to maintaining system security and protecting sensitive user data from exploitation.