CVE-2025-43448 Path traversal in iOS and iPadOS

Medium 6.3 Published Updated

An app can break out of its sandbox due to insufficient symlink validation, allowing privilege escalation on Apple devices.

Exploited in the wild
Not known
Login needed
Any signed-in user
Attackable
Local or same network only
Victim action needed
Not needed
Fix
None listed

What is CVE-2025-43448?

CVE-2025-43448 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apple Ipados, published on 4 Nov 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

This issue was addressed with improved validation of symlinks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.2 and iPadOS 18.7.2, iOS 26.1 and iPadOS 26.1, macOS Sequoia 15.7.2, macOS Sonoma 14.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, visionOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1. An app may be able to break out of its sandbox.

Weakness: CWE-59

Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-43448?

It affects 6 products.

Products include Apple Ipados, Apple Iphone Os, Apple Macos, Apple Tvos, Apple Visionos, Apple Watchos.

How do I fix CVE-2025-43448?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-43448 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2025-43448 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-43448 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Apple Ipados vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-pwvc-4r36-xf4c.

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