The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added a critical Apple vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, warning organizations that the zero-day vulnerability is being actively exploited in the wild.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-43300, affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS systems through a critical vulnerability in the Image I/O framework that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause system crashes.
CVE-2025-43300 represents an out-of-bounds write vulnerability within Apple’s Image I/O framework, a core component responsible for reading and writing image data across Apple’s operating systems.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that attackers can write data beyond the intended boundaries of allocated memory buffers.
This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous as it can lead to memory corruption, potentially allowing threat actors to execute malicious code with elevated privileges or cause denial-of-service conditions.
The Image I/O framework processes various image formats and is deeply integrated into Apple’s operating systems, making this vulnerability especially concerning due to its widespread exposure surface.
Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability through specially crafted image files delivered via email attachments, malicious websites, or other attack vectors that involve image processing.
The technical nature of this vulnerability suggests that successful exploitation could grant attackers significant control over affected systems, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, or lateral movement within enterprise networks.
Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS 0-Day Vulnerability
CISA’s decision to include CVE-2025-43300 in the KEV catalog signals that federal agencies and organizations should treat this vulnerability as a high-priority security concern.
The KEV catalog serves as the authoritative source for vulnerabilities that have been confirmed as actively exploited in real-world attacks, making it an essential resource for vulnerability management programs.
The catalog is maintained in multiple formats including CSV, JSON, and a structured JSON schema to facilitate automated integration with security tools and vulnerability scanners.
The agency has issued specific guidance requiring organizations to “apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”
This directive aligns with CISA Binding Operational Directive 22-01, which mandates federal agencies to address known exploited vulnerabilities within strict timelines.
While the vulnerability’s connection to ransomware campaigns remains unknown, the active exploitation status necessitates immediate attention from security teams across all sectors.
Mitigations
The inclusion of CVE-2025-43300 in CISA’s KEV catalog underscores the critical importance of rapid patch deployment across Apple device fleets.
Organizations should immediately inventory their Apple devices running iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to determine exposure levels and prioritize patching efforts.
The broad platform coverage means that both mobile and desktop environments are at risk, requiring coordinated response efforts across different IT management teams.
Security teams should implement additional monitoring for suspicious image file processing activities and consider restricting image file handling in high-risk environments until patches are applied.
The vulnerability’s potential for code execution makes it particularly attractive to advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and cybercriminal organizations seeking initial access vectors.
Organizations should also review their incident response procedures and ensure that security operations centers are equipped to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability while patch deployment efforts are underway.
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