CVE-2025-43300: Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS out-of-bounds write in Image I/O

CVE-2025-43300 · Severity: critical · CVSS 10 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2025-08-21

Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are affected by a critical security flaw in the framework responsible for processing images. By tricking a user into opening or viewing a specially crafted image file, an attacker could corrupt the device's memory to gain unauthorized control. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in highly targeted attacks against specific individuals.

Technologies: Apple iPadOS, Apple macOS, Apple macOS Ventura, Apple watchOS, Cisco IOS. Vendors: Apple, Cisco.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2025-43300 exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2025-43300 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 21 August 2025. Treat it as urgent.
How severe is CVE-2025-43300?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 10, published 21 August 2025.
Which products and versions are affected?
Apple iPadOS < 15.8.5, 16.0 to < 16.7.12, 17.0 to < 17.7.10, 18.0 to < 18.6.2; Apple macOS Sequoia < 15.6.1; Apple macOS Sonoma 14.0 to < 14.7.8; Apple macOS Ventura 13.0 to < 13.7.8.
Is there a fix for CVE-2025-43300?
A patch was published on 2025-08-21: Fixes released in various OS updates including iOS 18.6.2 and macOS 15.6.1 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2025-43300 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in an operating system.
Am I affected by CVE-2025-43300?
Check whether you run Apple iPadOS, Apple macOS, Apple macOS Sequoia or one of the others listed at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) exists in Apple's Image I/O framework due to insufficient bounds checking. The flaw is triggered when the system processes a maliciously crafted image file, leading to memory corruption. This can be exploited remotely without user interaction in some contexts (e.g., automated thumbnail generation) to achieve arbitrary code execution. Apple has confirmed reports of active exploitation in the wild. The issue was addressed by improving input validation and bounds checking across multiple operating system versions.

Affected products

  • Apple iOS < 15.8.5, 16.0 to < 16.7.12, 17.0 to < 18.6.2
  • Apple iPadOS < 15.8.5, 16.0 to < 16.7.12, 17.0 to < 17.7.10, 18.0 to < 18.6.2
  • Apple macOS Sequoia < 15.6.1
  • Apple macOS Sonoma 14.0 to < 14.7.8
  • Apple macOS Ventura 13.0 to < 13.7.8

Timeline

  • 2025-08-21: advisory: Initial disclosure and CISA KEV addition
  • 2025-08-21: exploited: Apple reported awareness of targeted exploitation in the wild
  • 2025-08-21: patched: Fixes released in various OS updates including iOS 18.6.2 and macOS 15.6.1

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