CVE-2025-43433 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Apple Safari and WebKitGTK caused by improper memory handling when processing maliciously crafted web content. The vulnerability is identified as CWE-119 and CWE-120 (classic buffer overflow and buffer copy without size checking). It has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 (high severity) with network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction needed. Impact includes high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, including potential remote code execution. The issue is fixed in Safari 26.1 and corresponding OS versions, as well as in updated WebKitGTK4 packages for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support. Red Hat advisory notes that exploitation requires tricking a user into loading malicious content and that mitigation includes removing or avoiding use of affected WebKitGTK packages. The vulnerability affects systems using graphical interfaces that process untrusted web content via GNOME components relying on WebKitGTK4.

Successful exploitation can lead to memory corruption, which may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely, compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The vulnerability requires user interaction to process malicious web content. On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 systems, the vulnerability can be exploited locally or from the local network via GNOME components that use WebKitGTK4. This can cause unexpected process crashes or potentially remote code execution. Systems without graphical interfaces or without the affected packages are not vulnerable.

A fix is available and has been released in Safari 26.1, iOS 18.7.2, iPadOS 18.7.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and WebKitGTK4 packages updated for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support. Users should update to these fixed versions. Red Hat advises avoiding processing untrusted web content with WebKitGTK and considering removal of WebKitGTK4 and dependent packages if feasible, noting that removing some packages may break GNOME functionality. Systems used via terminal interfaces without these packages are not affected. No additional vendor advisories indicate that no action is required; therefore, applying the official fixes or mitigations is recommended.