CVE-2025-24124 - Improved Checks Patch Critical File Parsing Vulnerability in Multiple Apple OS Versions

Introduction: A critical security vulnerability, indexed as CVE-2025-24124, was recently discovered in various Apple OS versions, affecting a broad range of devices, such as iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, and Apple Watches. The issue lies in the file parsing mechanism, which could lead to unexpected app termination, potentially impacting user experience and exposing sensitive information. Fortunately, Apple has rapidly addressed this issue by implementing improved checks, and users are strongly recommended to update their devices to the latest OS versions to mitigate the risk.

Exploit

The exploit takes advantage of an input validation flaw in the OS's file parsing mechanism. To demonstrate the issue, let's consider the following code snippet:

def parse_file(file):
    try:
        data = open(file, "r")
        parse_data(data)
        data.close()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"An error occurred: {e}")
        terminate_app()

def parse_data(data):
    for line in data:
        if not validate(line):
            raise ValueError("Invalid data detected")
        else:
            process(line)

def validate(line):
    # Validation logic
    pass

def terminate_app():
    print("Application terminated")
    exit(1)

In the above code snippet, the file is opened and read, parsing the data contained within. If invalid data is encountered during the parsing process, the app terminates. Because the input validation is not robust, attackers may potentially force a termination by inserting malicious data.

Mitigation

Apple has successfully addressed this critical security issue through improved input validation checks. The following Apple OS versions contain the necessary patches:

tvOS 18.3

Users are strongly advised to update their devices to these OS versions.

Original References

Apple has provided an extensive and detailed overview of this vulnerability in their official Security Update documentation here.

Conclusion

CVE-2025-24124 is a critical security vulnerability affecting multiple Apple OS versions. The issue resides within the file parsing mechanism, which could lead to unexpected app termination when encountering malicious data. Apple has promptly addressed this vulnerability by implementing improved input validation checks in the latest OS versions. Users are encouraged to update their devices as soon as possible to avoid any potential risks.

Timeline

Published on: 01/27/2025 22:15:17 UTC
Last modified on: 03/03/2025 22:45:38 UTC