CVE-2025-24252 is a critical use-after-free vulnerability affecting Apple tvOS and several other Apple operating systems, including macOS Sequoia 15.4, tvOS 18.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and visionOS 2.4. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management that allows an attacker on the local network to corrupt process memory. Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, leading to undefined behavior such as memory corruption, crashes, or execution of arbitrary code. In this case, the attacker does not require any privileges or user interaction to exploit the vulnerability, and the attack vector is network-based, meaning exploitation can occur remotely within the local network environment. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.8, indicating a critical severity with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to full system compromise of affected Apple devices running tvOS or other impacted OS versions. Apple has addressed this issue by improving memory management in the listed OS versions. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the high severity and ease of exploitation make timely patching essential. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 (Use After Free), a common and dangerous memory corruption flaw.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those using Apple tvOS devices in corporate environments, digital signage, or media distribution systems. The ability for an unauthenticated attacker on the local network to corrupt process memory and potentially execute arbitrary code could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, disruption of services, or pivoting to other internal systems. Confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected devices are all at high risk. Organizations with Apple device deployments in meeting rooms, public areas, or shared networks are particularly vulnerable. The threat extends to other Apple OS platforms mentioned, which may be used by employees or in operational technology contexts. Given the local network attack vector, organizations with less segmented or poorly secured internal networks face higher exposure. The vulnerability could also be leveraged in targeted attacks or lateral movement scenarios within enterprise networks. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the critical severity score demands immediate attention.

European organizations should prioritize deploying the security updates released by Apple for all affected operating systems, including tvOS 18.4 and the corresponding macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS versions. Network segmentation should be enforced to isolate Apple tvOS devices and other vulnerable endpoints from untrusted or guest network segments to reduce exposure to local network attackers. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on local networks where Apple devices operate. Employ network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) capable of identifying anomalous traffic patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Regularly audit and inventory Apple devices to ensure all are updated and compliant with security policies. Additionally, organizations should educate IT staff about the risk of local network attacks and encourage the use of secure Wi-Fi configurations with strong encryption and authentication to prevent unauthorized network access. Where possible, disable unnecessary network services on Apple devices to reduce attack surface. Finally, maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for addressing exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities.