CVE-2024-40851VulnerabilityPublished 28 Oct 2024Updated 2 Apr 2026

CVE-2024-40851: Apple iOS and iPadOS · An attacker with physical access may be able to access contact photos from the lock screen

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 2.4 Low · fixed in 18.1 : update Apple iOS and iPadOS when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

2.4Low

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 16% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 18.1

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

Attack Vector: Physical
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: None
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Physical: The attack requires the attacker to physically touch or manipulate the vulnerable component. Physical interaction may be brief or persistent.
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 28 Oct 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Apple iOS and iPadOS	Affected =0	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations and users should promptly update all affected Apple devices to iOS or iPadOS version 18.1 or later, where the issue is resolved. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce physical security controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices, such as secure storage and device tracking. Additionally, configuring lock screen settings to minimize displayed information and disabling features that expose contact details on the lock screen can reduce exposure. Training users on the importance of physical device security and awareness of privacy risks related to contact information leakage is also recommended. For high-security environments, consider implementing mobile device management (MDM) policies that restrict lock screen functionalities and enforce encryption and strong authentication methods.

Description

This issue was addressed by restricting options offered on a locked device. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. An attacker with physical access may be able to access contact photos from the lock screen.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2024-40851 is a privacy breach, as unauthorized individuals with physical access to a locked iOS or iPadOS device can view contact photos without unlocking the device. While this does not compromise device integrity or availability, it exposes personal information that could be leveraged for social engineering or targeted phishing attacks. For organizations, especially those handling sensitive communications or operating in regulated industries, this could lead to indirect risks such as identity exposure or reputational damage. The requirement for physical access limits the scope of exploitation, making remote attacks infeasible. However, in environments where devices are frequently unattended or lost/stolen, the risk is more pronounced. The impact is generally low but should not be dismissed in contexts where privacy is critical.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 2 Apr 2026, 23:38 UTC

Technical details

References

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