Pointer Authentication bypass via undisclosed RPAC flaw
Published Apr 16, 2025 · Updated Apr 2, 2026
Pointer Authentication bypass in Apple RPAC in affected iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS releases allows attackers to defeat PAC. Apple identifies RPAC and removal of vulnerable code but has not disclosed the code path or incorrect operation that defeats pointer-integrity enforcement. Exploitation requires prior arbitrary read and write capability; bypassing PAC removes a control against hijacking protected pointers, and reported attacks targeted specific iOS users.
Summary
What happened
Pointer Authentication bypass in Apple RPAC in affected iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS releases allows attackers to defeat PAC. Apple identifies RPAC and removal of vulnerable code but has not disclosed the code path or incorrect operation that defeats pointer-integrity enforcement. Exploitation requires prior arbitrary read and write capability; bypassing PAC removes a control against hijacking protected pointers, and reported attacks targeted specific iOS users.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-31201
- Published
- Apr 16, 2025
- Updated
- Apr 2, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- CWE-1220, T1068
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 2, 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 <18.4.1
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
- Apple report of targeted iOS exploitationreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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