WhatsApp, Apple warn of highly targeted attacks with zero
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-43300 | Actively Exploited Out-of-Bounds Write in Apple iOS/iPadOS/macOS Image I/O CVE-2025-43300 is an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) in the Image I/O (ImageIO) framework used by Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It can be triggered when a device processes a specially crafted image file, corrupting memory in the image-parsing process. Successful exploitation may cause application crashes or allow arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the application handling the image. Because ImageIO is a core system component on essentially every Apple device, virtually all users of iPhones, iPads, and Macs are exposed. The flaw is being exploited in the wild — CISA added it to the KEV catalog on 2025-08-21, mandating patching per BOD 22-01 for federal agencies — and EPSS estimates a 22% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days (98th percentile); no public PoC is known and ransomware use is unconfirmed. Do: Apply Apple's security updates for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS issued in August 2025 (e.g., iOS 18.6.1 / iPadOS 18.6.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.6.1) on all devices, prioritizing user-facing fleets and agencies bound by BOD 22-01 deadlines. Until devices are patched, exercise caution with images from untrusted sources (email, messaging, web content), since no compensating mitigations are specified. Note that the source data does not enumerate exact affected builds, so verify coverage against Apple's advisory and CISA KEV required actions. | 10.0 | 22% | KEV PoC |
| mass>1 billion active Apple devices (ImageIO is a core framework on all iOS/iPadOS/macOS devices; Apple's active device base exceeds 2 billion) | |
| CVE-2025-55177 | Incorrect Authorization in WhatsApp Linked-Device Sync Used in Targeted Spyware Attacks CVE-2025-55177 is an incorrect authorization flaw (CWE-863) in how WhatsApp for iOS, WhatsApp Business for iOS, and WhatsApp for Mac validate linked device synchronization messages, allowing an unrelated user to trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a target's device. An attacker can reach a vulnerable client through the messaging channel without normal authorization checks, causing the app to fetch or process attacker-chosen content. On its own the flaw carries only partial confidentiality and integrity impact (CVSS 5.4), but Meta assesses it was chained with an Apple OS vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) in a sophisticated attack against specific, targeted users. Users running WhatsApp for iOS before 2.25.21.73, WhatsApp Business for iOS before 2.25.21.78, or WhatsApp for Mac before 2.25.21.78 are affected. The flaw was added to CISA's KEV catalog on 2025-09-02 amid reports of highly targeted zero-day attacks, though no public proof-of-concept is known and use in ransomware campaigns has not been reported. Do: Update WhatsApp for iOS to v2.25.21.73 or later, WhatsApp Business for iOS to v2.25.21.78 or later, and WhatsApp for Mac to v2.25.21.78 or later. Also apply Apple's backported OS fix for CVE-2025-43300, since the two flaws were combined in the observed attack chain. Review and re-link WhatsApp companion devices if compromise is suspected; federal agencies must follow BOD 22-01 required-action deadlines per the KEV listing. | 5.4 | 4% | KEV |
| masshundreds of millions of users (WhatsApp's multi-billion user base includes a very large iOS/macOS install base) |
Full article224 words · extracted from therecord.media · click to collapse
WhatsApp on Friday announced it patched a zero-day vulnerability it believes was used to launch sophisticated attacks against specific individuals. The Meta-owned messaging platform said in a security advisory that the bug, labeled CVE-2025-55177, involves “incomplete authorization of linked device synchronization messages.” The issue “could have allowed an unrelated user to trigger processing of content from an arbitrary URL on a target’s device,” the advisory says. WhatsApp believes the vulnerability could have been combined with a separate OS-level vulnerability on Apple devices (CVE-2025-43300) to potentially launch sophisticated attacks against “specific targeted users,” the advisory says. Apple, which patched CVE-2025-43300 on August 20, has described it as an “out-of-bounds write issue.” The tech giant said it is “aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.” CVE-2025-43300 affected Apple’s iOS, iPadOS and macOS products. No technical details were released by either company. In 2019, WhatsApp was exploited with a zero-day attack carried out by the NSO Group, which manufactures the zero-click spyware known as Pegasus. That attack impacted some 1,400 Apple users and resulted in a court finding holding NSO Group liable. In January WhatsApp accused a separate spyware company, Paragon, of targeting about 90 of its users with spyware. Digital forensic experts from the Citizen Lab subsequently verified some of those attacks occurred.
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