Apple WebKit Use-After-Free Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2025-43529) Urgent Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTApple devices running iOS/iPadOS prior to 18.7.3 and 26.2, macOS Tahoe prior to 26.2, and Safari prior to 26.2
Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution (RCE), with active exploitation reported in highly targeted attacks
Immediately apply the official security updates (version 26.2 / 18.7.3 or later) provided by Apple
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the latest software updates via the Settings menu on your Apple devices. For enterprise macOS environments managed via terminal or MDM, you can force-install available software updates using the following command:
# Check and install all pending macOS software updates immediately
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, enable 'Lockdown Mode' on high-risk devices to drastically reduce the WebKit attack surface. Alternatively, disable JavaScript in Safari via configuration profiles or the command line to mitigate the primary attack vector:
# Disable JavaScript in Safari to mitigate WebKit exploitation vectors
defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitJavaScriptEnabled -bool false
defaults write com.apple.Safari com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2JavaScriptEnabled -bool false3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following script on macOS to audit the current operating system and Safari versions to verify vulnerability status:
# Audit script to verify current macOS and Safari versions
echo '=== OS Version ==='
sw_vers
echo '=== Safari Version ==='
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c 'Print :CFBundleShortVersionString' /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info.plistBlock Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
Can't patch production immediately? Deploy managed WAF rules at the edge to intercept RCE, SQLi, and deserialization payloads before they hit your origin server.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2025-43529) is a Use-After-Free (UAF) flaw within the Apple WebKit engine, stemming from improper memory management. When processing dynamic web elements or DOM objects, the engine fails to properly invalidate pointers to memory locations that have already been deallocated (freed). Apple has resolved this issue by implementing improved memory management and validation logic.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by hosting a specially crafted website containing malicious HTML, JavaScript, or media assets. When a target user visits the site using Safari or any application utilizing the WebKit rendering engine, the vulnerable memory deallocation routine is triggered. By leveraging heap manipulation techniques (such as heap spraying), the attacker can populate the freed memory space with controlled payloads, hijack the execution flow, and execute arbitrary code within the application's sandbox context. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in highly sophisticated, targeted attacks against specific individuals.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
Given its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog, this vulnerability poses an immediate threat to enterprise environments. Successful exploitation allows attackers to compromise corporate-owned Macs, iPhones, and iPads, potentially leading to credential theft, lateral movement within corporate networks, and unauthorized access to sensitive business data.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 26.2, iOS 18.7.3 and iPadOS 18.7.3, iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2, macOS Tahoe 26.2, tvOS 26.2, visionOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. CVE-2025-14174 was also issued in response to this report.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2025-43529)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2025-43529 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2025-43529 is rated CVSS 8.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 25.7%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2025-43529?
Primary impacted vendors include apple across safari, ios, ipados, macos, tvos, visionos, watchos. Scope summary: iOS and iPadOS versions prior to 18.7.3 and 26.2, macOS Tahoe versions prior to 26.2, Safari versions prior to 26.2, and tvOS/visionOS/watchOS versions prior to 26.2
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2025-43529 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official security updates (version 26.2 / 18.7.3 or later) provided by Apple Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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