CriticalCVE-2025-31277

    Apple Multiple Products Buffer Overflow Vulnerability (CVE-2025-31277)

    Published Last modified In CISA KEV since Sources: pwn.watch, CVE.org, Red Hat, Debian, BSI

    What is affected, what to do

    The vulnerability CVE-2025-31277 involves a buffer overflow in multiple Apple products, including Safari, iOS, watchOS, visionOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS. An attacker can cause memory corruption by processing maliciously crafted web content, enabling remote code execution. This vulnerability is actively exploited and is listed in the CISA KEV catalog. Affected versions include Safari 18.5 and below, iOS 18.5 and below, macOS Sequoia 15.0 to 15.5, tvOS 18.5 and below, visionOS 2.5 and below, and watchOS 11.5 and below. Immediate updates to the specified patch versions are urgently required.

    The vulnerability is being actively exploited; treat it as a priority. Update Apple Safari to version 18.6, Apple iOS and iPadOS to version 18.6, Apple macOS to version 15.6. Immediate actions, mitigation and detection rules are in the runbook below.

    Affected
    • Apple Safari lt *..18.6
    • Apple iOS and iPadOS lt *..18.6
    • Apple macOS lt *..15.6
    • Apple tvOS lt *..18.6
    • Apple visionOS lt *..2.6
    • Apple watchOS lt *..11.6
    Fixed in
    • Apple Safari 18.6
    • Apple iOS and iPadOS 18.6
    • Apple macOS 15.6
    • Apple tvOS 18.6
    • Apple visionOS 2.6
    • Apple watchOS 11.6

    Not sure whether and how you are affected? Ask a question about this vulnerability

    Metrics

    8.8

    Priority

    XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

    Source: NVD, CVSS v3

    8.8

    CVSS v3

    Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

    Source: pwn.watch, CVE.org, Red Hat, Debian, BSI

    1.7 %

    EPSS score

    Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.

    Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 76.5

    Show all metrics
    Severity
    Critical
    Priority (0–325)

    The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first?

    Read in glossary
    200.97 Methodology
    Exploit maturity

    An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack.

    Read in glossary
    actively exploitedSource: VulnCheck KEV (opens in a new tab) How we classify
    XIEM Effective CVSS

    XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command.

    Read in glossary
    8.8 Methodology
    CVSS v3

    CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions.

    Read in glossary
    8.8
    EPSS score

    The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“.

    Read in glossary
    1.7 %
    Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.
    EPSS percentile

    The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking.

    Read in glossary
    76.5
    High — this CVE ranks above the median of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 36%).
    KEV status

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited
    Published
    In CISA KEV since

    The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching.

    Read in glossary

    Response and mitigation

    Why act now?

    Prioritisation rationale

    This flaw sits in web-content processing and can be triggered over the network without authentication. The only requirement is that the victim opens a crafted page. WebKit memory-corruption bugs like this are classic first-stage links in exploit chains aimed at hand-picked individuals — executives, journalists, diplomats and administrators — and, paired with a sandbox escape, they yield full device takeover. Broad-population exploitation likelihood is only moderate and CISA lists no known ransomware use. Even so, organisations with exposed key personnel or privileged mobile devices should treat this as high priority. Because the patch carries little compatibility risk, enforce it fleet-wide within days.

    1. Runbook step 1

      Immediate response (0-24 h)

      • Deploy vendor patches: iOS and iPadOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, Safari 18.6 (for macOS releases that receive Safari separately), tvOS 18.6, visionOS 2.6 and watchOS 11.6. Push enforced update commands with a deadline via MDM (Jamf, Intune, Kandji etc.) and set any update deferral to zero for these releases.
      • Pull an MDM inventory: Flag every Apple device below the fixed versions as non-compliant, including BYOD devices with access to corporate data. Handle high-exposure groups first: executives, admins, frequent travellers and staff with access to critical-infrastructure control systems.
      • Tighten conditional access: Set a minimum-OS compliance policy (Entra ID Conditional Access or MDM compliance) so unpatched devices lose access to mail, VPN and SaaS.
      • Every iOS browser is affected: Chrome, Firefox and Edge on iOS/iPadOS all run on WebKit, so switching browsers is not a mitigation — only the OS update helps. On macOS, any app embedding WKWebView (e.g. Mail preview) is also in scope.
      • Isolate suspected compromises: For devices showing repeated WebContent crashes or anomalous behaviour, disconnect them from the corporate network and preserve sysdiagnose and unified logs before wiping.

    2. Runbook step 2

      Mitigation layers

      • Endpoint hardening: Enable Lockdown Mode for high-risk users. It disables WebKit JIT and complex web features, sharply reducing the memory-corruption attack surface. Allow Rapid Security Response / background security updates so emergency fixes land quickly.
      • Network/proxy: Block newly registered, uncategorised and malvertising categories at the secure web gateway, since web-borne exploit chains typically arrive via watering-hole sites or links sent over messaging and SMS. Enforce protective DNS on mobile devices through an always-on VPN or a DNS configuration profile.
      • Access control: Use NAC to move unpatched Apple devices into a quarantine VLAN that can reach only Apple's update CDN and the MDM. No access to management networks or OT segments.
      • Configuration: Restrict Safari extensions and untrusted web content via configuration profiles on managed Macs. Disable remote-content loading in mail clients (Mail Privacy Protection, or turn "Load remote content" off).
      • Least privilege: Remove local admin rights on Macs so that the sandbox escape and persistence that must follow successful memory corruption face additional barriers.

    3. Runbook step 3

      Detection rules

      • Version check in proxy logs: User agents containing Version/18.[0-5] with Safari/, or iPhone OS 18_[0-5] and older, identify unpatched clients. Example (SPL): index=proxy useragent="*Version/18.[0-5]*Safari*" | stats dc(src_ip) by useragent.
      • EDR process ancestry (macOS): Child processes of the sandboxed com.apple.WebKit.WebContent are abnormal. KQL (Defender for Endpoint): DeviceProcessEvents | where InitiatingProcessFileName =~ "com.apple.WebKit.WebContent" and FileName in~ ("sh","bash","zsh","curl","osascript","python3").
      • Crash reports: Clusters of .ips crash reports from com.apple.WebKit.WebContent with EXC_BAD_ACCESS in /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports or ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports (macOS), or in iOS analytics data collected via sysdiagnose. Correlate their timing with visits to unknown domains.
      • Network telemetry (Zeek/Suricata): Watch for an Apple device contacting further first-seen hosts or unusual ports shortly after visiting a never-before-seen domain, which fits a stager pattern. Hunt via dns.log (new domains per host) joined with conn.log.
      • Persistence indicators (macOS): Look for new LaunchAgents or LaunchDaemons (~/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons) via ESF-based EDR events or a Sigma rule on file creation in those paths following a browser crash.

    Detection rules

    No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

    Classification under NIS2 and CRA

    Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

    NIS2

    NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management.

    Read in glossary
    Actively exploited: treat the vulnerability as a priority in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2. If it is exploited in your environment, check the reporting obligation under Art. 23 (early warning within 24 hours).
    CRA

    The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates.

    Read in glossary
    Since 11.09.2026, manufacturers of affected products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities under Art. 14 CRA, with an early warning within 24 hours via ENISA's single reporting platform.
    ISO/IEC 27001

    ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security.

    Read in glossary
    Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

    Description

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in Safari 18.6, iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, tvOS 18.6, visionOS 2.6, watchOS 11.6. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to memory corruption.

    Source: pwn.watch, NVD (NIST), CISA KEV Catalog, redhat_csaf, CVE.org (MITRE), Debian Security Advisories, cvelistv5, BSI WID Portal, BSI CSAF

    Affected products

    The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

    Affected products
    Affected versionsFixed in
    AppleiOS and iPadOS
    • < 18.6
    • 18.6
    ApplemacOS
    • < 15.6
    • 15.6
    AppleSafari
    • < 18.6
    • 18.6
    AppletvOS
    • < 18.6
    • 18.6
    ApplevisionOS
    • < 2.6
    • 2.6
    ApplewatchOS
    • < 11.6
    • 11.6
    applesafari
    • < 18.6
    • 18.6
    webkitgtkwebkitgtk
    • < 2.50.0
    • 2.50.0
    wpewebkitwpe_webkit
    • < 2.50.0
    • 2.50.0
    ApplemacOS Sequoia
    • < 15.6
    • 15.6
    ApplemacOS Sonoma
    • < 14.7.7
    • 14.7.7
    ApplemacOS Ventura
    • < 13.7.7
    • 13.7.7
    Open SourceWebKitGTK
    • < 2.50.0
    • < 2.44.0
    • 2.50.0
    • 2.44.0

    Vendors and products

    Affected operating systems

    Affected operating systems
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux6.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux7.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux8.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux9.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_aus8.2
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_aus8.4
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_aus8.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_els7.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus8.4
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus8.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_eus9.4
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_tus8.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_tus8.8
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_update_services_for_sap_solutions8.6
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_update_services_for_sap_solutions8.8
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_update_services_for_sap_solutions9.0
    Linuxredhatenterprise_linux_update_services_for_sap_solutions9.2
    Linuxdebianwebkit2gtkbookworm
    Linuxdebianwebkit2gtktrixie
    macOSapplemacos—
    Mobileappleiphone_os—
    Otherappleipados—
    Otherappletvos—
    Otherapplevisionos—

    Public exploit references

    Publicly reported proof-of-concepts, exploit modules and detection templates for this vulnerability. NEOSEC links to the original sources only and does not provide any exploit code.

    Public exploit references
    CISA KEV CatalogCISA Known Exploited Vulnerability (opens in a new tab)cisa.govactively exploited

    References & sources

    Changes to this CVE

    Who changed this CVE and when: NVD (analysis, affected products, CVSS), the CVE publisher (CNA) and additional providers such as CISA (ADP).

    1. Record modifiedApple

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      Source identifier: product-security@apple.com

    2. Record modifiedCISA ADP

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      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-31277 Types: US Government Resource
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      Source identifier: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0

    3. Record modifiedCVE Program

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      http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jul/36 Types: Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
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      Source identifier: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108

    4. Record modifiedRed Hat ADP

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      https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2448780
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      https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2448780 Types: Third Party Advisory
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      Source identifier: 0b0ca135-0b70-47e7-9f44-1890c2a1c46c

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