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…
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- apple
Description
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.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Apple Multiple Products Classic Buffer Overflow Vulnerability.
- Added
- 20 Mar 2026
- Fix due (US federal)
- 3 Apr 2026
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Timeline
ID reserved
By apple
- 8 months later
· 8 months later
Published
- 3 months later
· 3 months later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited in the wild
- 6 months later
· 6 months later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | Medium5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | Medium5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.43% · top 63% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 5.5.
Weakness
- A malicious application may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory
- CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') (opens in a new tab)All about CWE-120 and its CVEs
Affected products
References (10)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125632 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125633 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125634 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125635 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125636 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125637 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125638 (opens in a new tab)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/125639 (opens in a new tab)
- https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/darksword-ios-exploit-chain/ (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-43520 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2025-43520)Record last updated .