What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-43221?

CVE-2025-43221 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 0.0%.

Which versions of iOS are affected by CVE-2025-43221?

CVE-2025-43221 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read in Apple's media processing frameworks affecting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS that could allow attackers to crash applications or expose…

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2025-43221?

24 hours: Inventory all Apple devices running iOS/iPadOS 18.x, macOS Sequoia 15.x, tvOS 18.x, or visionOS 2.x and communicate to users to avoid opening media files from untrusted sources. 7 days: Monitor Apple security advisories for July 2025 security update release; prepare patch deployment plan once versions are available. 30 days: Deploy July 2025 security updates across all affected Apple platforms (iOS/iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS) and verify successful installation across the fleet.

iOS CVE-2025-43221

HIGH

Out-of-bounds Read (CWE-125)

2025-07-30 product-security@apple.com

Apple iOS macOS Buffer Overflow Denial Of Service Memory Corruption Ipados Iphone Os Tvos Visionos

7.1

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY

7.1 HIGH

AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

Required

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

None

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Analysis Generated

Apr 02, 2026 - 19:37 vuln.today

CVE Published

Jul 30, 2025 - 00:15 nvd

HIGH 7.1

DescriptionCVE.org

An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, tvOS 18.6, visionOS 2.6. Processing a maliciously crafted media file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory.

AnalysisAI

Out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Apple media processing frameworks allows local attackers to cause application crashes or disclose sensitive process memory by tricking users into opening malicious media files. Affects iOS/iPadOS 18.x, macOS Sequoia 15.x, tvOS 18.x, and visionOS 2.x prior to July 2025 security updates. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, with EPSS score of 0.02% indicating minimal observed exploitation activity. User interaction required (opening crafted file) reduces immediate risk despite 7.1 CVSS score.

Technical ContextAI

This vulnerability represents a CWE-125 out-of-bounds read flaw in Apple's media file parsing subsystems across multiple operating systems. When processing specially crafted media files, the affected media frameworks read beyond allocated buffer boundaries due to insufficient bounds validation. The flaw impacts the core media handling stack shared across Apple's ecosystem (iOS/iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS), suggesting the vulnerable code exists in a common framework like AVFoundation, CoreMedia, or related media codec libraries. Out-of-bounds reads can expose arbitrary process memory contents to attackers, potentially leaking sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other in-memory secrets. The local attack vector (AV:L) indicates exploitation requires the malicious media file to be processed on the victim's device, while the high confidentiality impact (C:H) reflects the potential for significant information disclosure through memory content exposure.

RemediationAI

Apply vendor-released patches immediately by updating to iOS 18.6, iPadOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, tvOS 18.6, or visionOS 2.6 as appropriate for your device platform. These updates include improved bounds checking that resolves the out-of-bounds read condition in media processing code. Updates can be installed through System Settings on each platform or via Apple's enterprise management tools for organizational deployments. Complete advisory details and download links are available at https://support.apple.com/en-us/124147 (iOS/iPadOS), https://support.apple.com/en-us/124149 (macOS), https://support.apple.com/en-us/124153 (tvOS), and https://support.apple.com/en-us/124154 (visionOS). No effective workarounds exist beyond avoiding opening media files from untrusted sources until patches are applied, which is not practical for most users given the ubiquity of media content.