CVE-2025-43216 is a use-after-free vulnerability identified in Apple Safari, which arises from improper memory management when processing maliciously crafted web content. A use-after-free flaw occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, potentially leading to undefined behavior such as crashes or code execution. In this case, the vulnerability causes Safari to crash unexpectedly upon encountering specially designed web content. The issue affects multiple Apple platforms including Safari on macOS (Sequoia 15.6), iOS (18.6), iPadOS (17.7.9 and 18.6), watchOS (11.6), tvOS (18.6), and visionOS (2.6). Apple has addressed this vulnerability by improving memory management in Safari 18.6 and related OS versions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H) shows that the attack can be launched remotely over the network without privileges, requires user interaction (such as visiting a malicious webpage), and impacts availability by causing a crash. There is no indication that confidentiality or integrity is affected, and no known exploits are currently active in the wild. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416 (Use After Free).

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily threatens the availability of systems running vulnerable versions of Safari. An attacker could craft malicious web content that, when accessed by users, causes Safari to crash, potentially disrupting business operations, especially in environments relying heavily on Safari for web access. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity, repeated crashes could lead to denial of service conditions or be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain. Organizations with employees using Apple devices for critical tasks or customer-facing web applications may experience operational interruptions. Additionally, sectors with high reliance on Apple ecosystems, such as creative industries, education, and certain government agencies, could face increased risk. Given the lack of known exploits, the immediate threat is moderate, but the potential for future exploitation exists if attackers develop techniques to leverage this flaw more aggressively.

European organizations should prioritize updating all Apple devices to the patched versions of Safari and corresponding OS releases (Safari 18.6, watchOS 11.6, iOS 18.6, iPadOS 17.7.9/18.6, tvOS 18.6, macOS Sequoia 15.6, visionOS 2.6) as soon as possible. Beyond patching, organizations should implement network-level protections such as web filtering to block access to suspicious or untrusted websites that could host malicious content. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting abnormal application crashes or exploitation attempts. User awareness training should emphasize caution when clicking links or visiting unknown websites, especially on Apple devices. Monitoring Safari crash logs and correlating with network traffic may help identify attempted exploitation. For high-security environments, consider restricting Safari usage or deploying alternative browsers until patches are applied. Regular vulnerability scanning and asset inventory to identify devices running vulnerable Safari versions will aid in targeted remediation.