CVE-2025-43362 is a critical security vulnerability identified in Apple’s iOS and iPadOS platforms that allows an application to monitor keystrokes without requiring any user permission or interaction. This vulnerability stems from insufficient access control checks within the operating system that fail to prevent unauthorized apps from capturing user input data. The flaw is categorized under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The vulnerability affects unspecified versions prior to the patched releases iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, including iOS 18.7 and iPadOS 18.7 where the issue has been resolved through improved permission checks. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.8, indicating critical severity, with an attack vector of network (remote exploitation possible), low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact includes full confidentiality breach (keystroke data exposure), integrity compromise (potential manipulation of input data), and availability impact (possible denial of service). Although no exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it highly exploitable by malicious actors to capture sensitive information such as passwords, personal messages, and corporate data. The vulnerability’s resolution involved strengthening the OS’s permission enforcement mechanisms to ensure apps cannot silently monitor keystrokes. This vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous input data protection and permission validation in mobile operating systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to data confidentiality and user privacy, especially for employees using Apple mobile devices for corporate communications and sensitive transactions. Attackers exploiting this flaw could capture passwords, two-factor authentication codes, confidential emails, and other sensitive input data, leading to data breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access to corporate resources. The integrity of user input could also be compromised, potentially enabling injection of malicious commands or data. Availability impacts could arise if the vulnerability is leveraged to disrupt device functionality. Given the widespread use of Apple devices in Europe’s public and private sectors, including finance, healthcare, and government, the potential for espionage, financial fraud, and regulatory non-compliance is substantial. The lack of required user interaction or privileges lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the threat surface. Organizations may face reputational damage and legal consequences under GDPR if sensitive personal data is exposed.

1. Immediate deployment of the official patches by upgrading all iOS and iPadOS devices to version 26 or later, or at least to iOS 18.7 and iPadOS 18.7 where the vulnerability is fixed. 2. Enforce strict mobile device management (MDM) policies to control app installations, limiting apps to those from trusted sources such as the Apple App Store and vetted enterprise apps. 3. Implement application behavior monitoring to detect anomalous activities indicative of keystroke logging or unauthorized input monitoring. 4. Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted apps and encourage reporting of suspicious device behavior. 5. Use endpoint security solutions capable of detecting and blocking malicious app behaviors on iOS/iPadOS. 6. Regularly audit device compliance and update security policies to incorporate emerging threat intelligence related to iOS vulnerabilities. 7. Consider network-level protections such as anomaly detection and data loss prevention (DLP) to identify potential exfiltration of sensitive input data. 8. Coordinate with Apple support and security advisories to stay informed about any further developments or mitigations.