CVE-2025-43343 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Apple iOS and iPadOS, identified as CWE-119, which involves improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer. This vulnerability arises from flawed memory handling when processing specially crafted web content, leading to an unexpected process crash. The crash could be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially allowing full compromise of the device's confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network via web content. Apple has addressed this issue in the latest versions of its operating systems, including iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, by improving memory handling mechanisms. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.8, reflecting the critical nature of the vulnerability with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to users and organizations relying on Apple mobile platforms. The vulnerability also affects other Apple OSes such as tvOS, Safari, visionOS, watchOS, and macOS Tahoe, indicating a broad attack surface across Apple’s ecosystem. The root cause is typical of buffer overflow or similar memory corruption issues, which historically have been exploited for remote code execution and denial of service.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-43343 is substantial due to the widespread use of Apple iOS and iPadOS devices in enterprise and government sectors. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, disrupt business operations by causing device crashes or persistent denial of service, and potentially move laterally within networks if devices are used as entry points. Confidentiality breaches could expose personal data and intellectual property, while integrity compromises could lead to manipulation of critical information. Availability impacts could disrupt communication and operational continuity, especially in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and public administration that rely heavily on mobile devices. The lack of required user interaction and privileges increases the risk of automated or large-scale exploitation campaigns. Additionally, the vulnerability’s presence in Safari and other Apple OS components broadens the attack vectors, potentially affecting users who browse malicious websites. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the critical severity demands urgent attention to patch management and network defenses.

European organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates released by Apple for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and other affected platforms. Given the vulnerability’s exploitation vector via malicious web content, organizations should implement network-level protections such as web filtering and intrusion prevention systems to block access to known malicious domains and suspicious web content. Employing endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous process crashes or memory corruption attempts on Apple devices can provide additional defense. Restricting the use of Safari or other vulnerable browsers in high-risk environments or replacing them with browsers that have independent security controls may reduce exposure. Organizations should also enforce strict mobile device management (MDM) policies to ensure devices are updated promptly and to control application permissions and network access. User awareness campaigns should emphasize caution when accessing unknown or untrusted web content. Continuous monitoring for unusual device behavior and incident response readiness are essential to quickly detect and mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Finally, collaboration with Apple support channels for vulnerability intelligence and patch deployment guidance will enhance mitigation effectiveness.