Actively Exploited — CISA KEV

CVE-2025-43520: Apple Multiple Products Vulnerability

Severity: Medium | CVSS 3.1: 5.5 | Published: 2025-12-12 | KEV Added: 2026-03-20

What is CVE-2025-43520?

A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.2 and iPadOS 18.7.2, iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Sonoma 14.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1. A malicious application may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory.

Technical Analysis

Weakness Classification

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-120 — Buffer Copy without Size Check.

Attack Vector Breakdown

  • Attack Vector: Local
  • Attack Complexity: Low
  • Privileges Required: Low
  • User Interaction: None
  • Scope: Unchanged
  • Confidentiality: None
  • Integrity: None
  • Availability: High

Impact Analysis

Exploitation requires local access to the target system, such as a local user session or a malicious file opened by a user. The attack complexity is low, meaning exploitation does not depend on specialized conditions or race windows. Successful exploitation can result in total availability loss (denial of service).

Exploitation Probability (EPSS): 0.27% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days (50th percentile). While the base probability may appear low, inclusion in CISA KEV confirms real-world exploitation is already occurring.

Is CVE-2025-43520 being exploited?

Yes. CVE-2025-43520 is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, restricted to CVEs with confirmed active exploitation in the wild. CISA added this vulnerability on 2026-03-20. Inclusion in KEV triggers the patching mandate under BOD 22-01 for U.S. federal civilian agencies, with a remediation deadline of 2026-04-03.

How to fix CVE-2025-43520

Update to the latest OS and software versions through System Settings > Software Update (macOS) or Settings > General > Software Update (iOS/iPadOS). For managed devices, deploy updates through MDM. Apple does not typically provide workarounds — updating is the primary remediation path. Check the Apple Security Releases page for the specific patch or update. CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog requires U.S. federal agencies to remediate this vulnerability by the due date shown below under Binding Operational Directive 22-01. Private organizations should treat KEV entries as priority-one patches because active exploitation has been confirmed in the wild.

Related Vulnerabilities

Other actively exploited vulnerabilities affecting Multiple Products or sharing the same weakness (CWE-120):

  • CVE-2025-43510 (High 7.8) [same product] — A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved lock state checking…
  • CVE-2025-31277 (High 8.8) [same product] — The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in…
  • CVE-2023-43000 (High 8.8) [same product] — A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This…
  • CVE-2021-30952 (High 7.8) [same product] — An integer overflow was addressed with improved input validation. This issue…
  • CVE-2026-20700 (High 7.8) [same product] — A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management. This…

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2025-43520 critical?

CVE-2025-43520 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 — Medium severity. Prioritize based on exposure and the active exploitation signal from the KEV listing.

Is CVE-2025-43520 being actively exploited?

Yes — CISA added CVE-2025-43520 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-03-20. Inclusion in KEV means CISA has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation.

How do I patch CVE-2025-43520?

Apply the security update from Apple for Multiple Products. Federal agencies must remediate by 2026-04-03 under BOD 22-01. Refer to the Apple Security Releases for the official patch.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2025-43520?

CVE-2025-43520 is classified under CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Size Check).

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-43520?

CVE-2025-43520 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5, classifying it as Medium severity. The attack vector is Local, attack complexity is Low, and non-zero privileges are required.