CVE-2025-24162 is a vulnerability identified in Apple Safari and related Apple operating systems that arises from improper state management when processing certain maliciously crafted web content. This flaw can cause the Safari process to crash unexpectedly, resulting in a denial of service condition. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125, which typically involves out-of-bounds read issues, suggesting that the crafted content triggers an invalid memory access or similar state inconsistency within the browser's rendering engine. The vulnerability affects Safari 18.3 and corresponding versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction (such as visiting a malicious webpage). The impact is limited to availability, as there is no confidentiality or integrity loss reported. Apple addressed this vulnerability by improving state management in the affected components, thereby preventing the crafted content from causing process crashes. No known exploits have been observed in the wild, but the vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to disrupt user sessions or services by inducing browser crashes.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-24162 is denial of service through unexpected browser crashes, which can disrupt user productivity and potentially cause loss of unsaved data during browsing sessions. For organizations, especially those relying heavily on Apple devices for web-based applications or remote work, this could lead to operational interruptions. While the vulnerability does not expose confidential information or allow code execution, repeated exploitation could degrade user experience and trust in affected systems. In environments where Safari is used for critical web applications, such as healthcare, finance, or government services, denial of service could have cascading effects on service availability. Additionally, attackers might use this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain to distract or disrupt users while attempting other malicious activities. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, phishing or malicious web campaigns could be vectors for exploitation. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks.

Organizations and users should promptly update all affected Apple products to Safari 18.3 or later, and corresponding OS versions including iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3. Network-level protections such as web filtering and URL reputation services can help block access to malicious websites that might exploit this vulnerability. Security awareness training should emphasize caution when clicking on unknown or suspicious links, as user interaction is required for exploitation. Enterprises should monitor browser crash logs and telemetry for unusual patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting abnormal browser behavior can provide early warning. Additionally, applying content security policies (CSP) and disabling unnecessary browser plugins or extensions can reduce attack surface. Regular vulnerability scanning and patch management processes should be enforced to ensure timely deployment of security updates.