CVE-2024-40856VulnerabilityPublished 16 Sep 2024Updated 2 Apr 2026

CVE-2024-40856: Apple iOS and iPadOS · An attacker may be able to force a device to disconnect from a secure network

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.5High

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

EPSS: 0.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 59% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

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

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

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

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
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: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Sep 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 2026-10-25.

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 CVE-2024-40856, organizations and users should prioritize updating all Apple devices to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia 15, tvOS 18, or later versions where the vulnerability is patched. Network administrators should monitor wireless network environments for unusual disconnection patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Implementing network segmentation and restricting wireless access to trusted devices can reduce exposure. Additionally, deploying wireless intrusion detection systems (WIDS) can help identify malicious beacon frames or disconnection attempts. Educating users about promptly installing OS updates and reporting connectivity issues is essential. For high-security environments, consider using additional layers of network access control and multi-factor authentication to mitigate risks associated with forced disconnections. Regularly reviewing and updating wireless security configurations, including disabling legacy protocols and enforcing strong encryption standards, will further reduce attack surface.

Description

An integrity issue was addressed with Beacon Protection. This issue is fixed in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia 15, tvOS 18. An attacker may be able to force a device to disconnect from a secure network.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2024-40856 is the disruption of network availability for affected Apple devices. Organizations that depend heavily on iOS and iPadOS devices for secure wireless communications, such as enterprises, government agencies, healthcare providers, and financial institutions, may experience denial of service conditions leading to loss of productivity and potential operational delays. The inability to maintain a stable connection to secure networks could also increase the risk of fallback to less secure networks or force users to reconnect manually, potentially exposing them to additional security risks. While the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity directly, the availability impact can indirectly affect security posture and business continuity. In critical infrastructure sectors, such interruptions could have cascading effects on services and safety. The lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for attackers, increasing the likelihood of exploitation in hostile environments or public spaces with wireless access.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 2 Apr 2026, 23:39 UTC

Technical details

References

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