CVE-2025-43534

Physical Activation Lock bypass via path handling

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Improper access control in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 18.7.7 and 26.0 through 26.1 allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Activation Lock. The iTunes Store component mishandles a path, but Apple has not disclosed the path source, validation error, or operation performed with it. Physical possession of a supported iPhone or iPad is required, and successful exploitation removes the device's ownership-enforcement barrier.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 18.7.7 and 26.0 through 26.1 allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Activation Lock. The iTunes Store component mishandles a path, but Apple has not disclosed the path source, validation error, or operation performed with it. Physical possession of a supported iPhone or iPad is required, and successful exploitation removes the device's ownership-enforcement barrier.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-43534
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-284
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 25, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <18.7.7
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <26.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=0 <18.7.7; version=0 <26.2

Published CVSS scores

6.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control

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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