CVE-2025-31223

Vulnerability

Overview

CVE-2025-31223 is a memory corruption issue in Apple's WebKit-based processing of web content. The official description states that the flaw is addressed with improved checks, and processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to memory corruption [1]. The root cause is tied to insufficient validation of crafted content, which can corrupt kernel memory or process memory when triggered through Safari or other web content handlers on Apple platforms.

Attack

Vector

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by convincing a user to visit a website hosting specially crafted web content. No additional authentication or special system privileges are required, as the attack is primarily delivered via a malicious webpage. The impact is described as memory corruption, which can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service under certain conditions, though the exact exploit path is not detailed in the references.

Impact

According to the Apple security advisories, on macOS Sequoia 15.5, connecting to a malicious AFP server can corrupt kernel memory (CVE-2025-31246) [1], while on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and visionOS, processing a maliciously crafted media file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory [2][3][4]. Although CVE-2025-31223 is separately listed for web content, the consistent pattern across platforms suggests that the vulnerability can be leveraged to corrupt sensitive memory regions, potentially allowing an attacker to escalate privileges or execute arbitrary code in the context of the affected process.

Mitigation and

Patch Status

Apple has released patches in Safari 18.5, iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, macOS Sequoia 15.5, tvOS 18.5, visionOS 2.5, and watchOS 11.5, all published on May 12, 2025 [1][2][3][4]. Users are strongly advised to update their devices to the latest operating system versions to mitigate this issue. As of this writing, no workarounds are documented, and Apple's standard disclosure policy means technical details are limited to protect customers.