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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2024-44258: Apple iOS and iPadOS · Link Following

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High · fixed in 17.7.1 : patch Apple iOS and iPadOS soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.1High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 54% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 17.7.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 28 Oct 2024

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Apple iOS and iPadOSAffected
  • =0
Fixed in–

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-44258, organizations and users should promptly apply the security updates released by Apple in iOS 17.7.1, iPadOS 17.7.1, iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, tvOS 18.1, and visionOS 2.1. Beyond patching, users should avoid restoring backups from untrusted or unknown sources. Organizations should implement strict policies controlling backup and restore operations, including verifying the integrity and origin of backup files before restoration. Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to restrict unauthorized backup restoration and monitor device configurations. Educate users about the risks of restoring backups from suspicious sources and train them to recognize social engineering attempts. Additionally, consider implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of detecting anomalous file modifications or system behavior post-restore. Regularly audit devices for unexpected system file changes and maintain secure backup repositories with integrity verification mechanisms. These measures collectively reduce the risk of exploitation and limit potential damage.

Description

This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.7.1 and iPadOS 17.7.1, iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, tvOS 18.1, visionOS 2.1. Restoring a maliciously crafted backup file may lead to modification of protected system files.

References

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