Unauthenticated private-tab access via state mishandling
Published Jan 27, 2025 · Updated Jun 3, 2026
Authentication bypass in Safari Private Browsing before 18.2 allows attackers to access private tabs without authentication on affected Apple devices. Across Safari before 18.2, iOS and iPadOS before 18.2, macOS before 15.2, and watchOS before 11.2, deficient authentication state management exposes locked private tabs; Apple has not published the faulty state transition or missing check. Reachability requires access to the Private Browsing tab interface; the reported consequence is limited to viewing private-tab content.
Summary
What happened
Authentication bypass in Safari Private Browsing before 18.2 allows attackers to access private tabs without authentication on affected Apple devices. Across Safari before 18.2, iOS and iPadOS before 18.2, macOS before 15.2, and watchOS before 11.2, deficient authentication state management exposes locked private tabs; Apple has not published the faulty state transition or missing check. Reachability requires access to the Private Browsing tab interface; the reported consequence is limited to viewing private-tab content.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-54542
- Published
- Jan 27, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 3, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- CWE-862, T1005
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 3, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=0 <18.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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