CVE-2025-14744 is a vulnerability identified in Mozilla Firefox for iOS, specifically affecting versions prior to 144.0. The issue arises from the improper handling of Unicode Right-to-Left Override (RTLO) characters within filenames displayed in the browser's downloads user interface. RTLO characters are special Unicode control characters that alter the display order of text, commonly used in languages written right-to-left. Attackers can exploit this behavior by embedding RTLO characters in filenames to visually reorder characters, thereby spoofing the apparent file extension or name shown to the user. For example, a malicious website could present a file named 'exe.txt' as 'txt.exe' or vice versa, misleading users about the true nature of the file they are downloading. This can trick users into saving and potentially executing files they would otherwise avoid, increasing the risk of malware infection or other malicious activity. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-451 (Incorrectly Specified Unicode Encoding), indicating a failure to properly sanitize or validate Unicode input. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a medium severity level with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N. This means the vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without privileges but requires user interaction (downloading the file). The impact primarily affects the integrity of the system by enabling spoofing attacks but does not compromise confidentiality or availability directly. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is officially published and tracked by Mozilla. Given Firefox for iOS's user base, this vulnerability poses a risk mainly to users on Apple mobile devices who browse potentially malicious websites. The attack vector relies on social engineering and user trust in the download interface, emphasizing the importance of UI integrity in security.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-14744 lies in the potential for social engineering attacks that exploit filename spoofing to deliver malicious payloads. Employees or customers using Firefox for iOS devices could be tricked into downloading and executing harmful files disguised by manipulated filenames. This could lead to malware infections, data integrity compromises, or further lateral movement within corporate networks if devices are connected to enterprise resources. Although the vulnerability does not directly expose confidential data or cause denial of service, the integrity breach can facilitate more severe attacks such as ransomware or spyware deployment. The risk is heightened in sectors with high mobile device usage and sensitive data handling, including finance, healthcare, and government agencies. Additionally, organizations relying on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies may face increased exposure. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability is widely known. The medium severity rating suggests that while the threat is significant, it is not critical, but should be addressed promptly to prevent exploitation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-14744, European organizations should prioritize updating Firefox for iOS to version 144.0 or later as soon as the patch becomes available from Mozilla. Until then, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Educate users about the risks of downloading files from untrusted or suspicious websites, emphasizing caution with unexpected downloads. 2) Deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce application updates and restrict installation of unapproved apps or files. 3) Use endpoint protection tools on iOS devices that can scan downloaded files for malware or suspicious behavior. 4) Configure network-level web filtering to block access to known malicious domains or URLs that could host exploit pages. 5) Encourage the use of alternative browsers or download methods if immediate patching is not feasible. 6) Monitor security advisories from Mozilla and Apple for updates or additional mitigations. 7) Implement strict policies on file execution and app permissions on iOS devices to limit the impact of potentially malicious files. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on user behavior, device management, and network controls specific to the iOS Firefox environment.