CVE-2025-24265 is a critical security vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, characterized as an out-of-bounds read (CWE-125) that can lead to unexpected system termination. This vulnerability arises from insufficient bounds checking within the system, allowing a malicious application to read memory outside of its allocated buffer. The consequence of this flaw is a potential system crash, which affects the availability of the affected device, and due to the nature of the vulnerability, it also poses risks to confidentiality and integrity. The vulnerability affects multiple macOS versions prior to the patched releases: Ventura 13.7.5, Sequoia 15.4, and Sonoma 14.7.5. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 reflects its critical severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker can exploit the vulnerability remotely without authentication or user interaction, making it highly dangerous. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's characteristics make it a prime candidate for exploitation once weaponized. The root cause is an out-of-bounds read, which Apple addressed by improving bounds checking in the affected components. The vulnerability's exploitation could allow attackers to cause denial-of-service conditions by crashing systems, potentially disrupting critical operations or enabling further attacks through system instability.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-24265 is significant due to the widespread use of Apple macOS in enterprise environments, particularly in sectors such as finance, government, technology, and creative industries. The ability for an unauthenticated attacker to remotely cause system crashes can lead to denial-of-service conditions, disrupting business continuity and operational processes. This can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and potential regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR where availability and integrity of data are critical. Additionally, the vulnerability's potential to affect confidentiality and integrity raises concerns about data exposure or manipulation during exploitation attempts. Organizations relying on macOS for critical infrastructure or sensitive data processing are at heightened risk. The lack of required user interaction and privileges lowers the barrier for attackers, increasing the likelihood of exploitation attempts. Although no active exploits are known, the critical severity and ease of exploitation necessitate urgent attention to prevent potential widespread impact across European enterprises.

To mitigate CVE-2025-24265 effectively, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Immediately deploy the security updates provided by Apple for macOS Ventura 13.7.5, Sequoia 15.4, and Sonoma 14.7.5 to all affected systems. 2) Implement strict application whitelisting policies to prevent untrusted or unknown applications from executing, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting the vulnerability. 3) Monitor network traffic and system logs for unusual activity that could indicate exploitation attempts, such as unexpected crashes or anomalous app behavior. 4) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting memory corruption or abnormal process terminations. 5) Educate users and IT staff about the risks associated with running unverified applications and the importance of timely patching. 6) Consider network segmentation to limit exposure of critical macOS systems to untrusted networks. 7) Maintain regular backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from potential denial-of-service impacts. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on rapid patch deployment, proactive detection, and application control tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.