Apple has rolled out critical software updates for its devices, including iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and watchOS 11.3, addressing a zero-day vulnerability that has been actively exploited in the wild. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-24085, is a use-after-free bug in the Core Media component that could allow malicious apps to elevate privileges on affected devices. Apple confirmed the issue may have been exploited against versions of iOS prior to iOS 17.2, urging users to update immediately.
Zero-day flaw and other security fixes
The zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2025-24085, affects a wide range of Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, and Apple Watches. The flaw resides in the Core Media component, where improper memory management could enable a malicious app to gain elevated privileges. Apple has patched the issue with improved memory handling in the latest updates, but details about the exploitation remain scarce. The company has not disclosed who may have been targeted or the nature of the attacks.
In addition to the zero-day, the updates address five vulnerabilities in AirPlay, reported by Oligo Security researcher Uri Katz. These flaws could lead to system crashes, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, or arbitrary code execution. Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) also discovered and reported three bugs in the CoreAudio component (CVE-2025-24160, CVE-2025-24161, and CVE-2025-24163), which could cause apps to crash when parsing malicious files.
Apple Intelligence goes default: Will you keep it on?
Apple Intelligence enabled by default
Alongside security patches, the updates mark a significant step in Apple’s rollout of Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI features. With iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default for users with supported devices, including the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 series, and select iPads and Macs. Previously, users had to opt in during setup, but the latest update automates the process, expanding the reach of Apple’s AI capabilities.
Apple Intelligence includes features like text rewriting, image generation, and summarization tools for emails and notifications. However, the AI-powered notification summaries for news apps have been temporarily disabled following criticism over inaccuracies. For instance, the system incorrectly summarized a BBC sports notification, falsely stating that tennis player Rafael Nadal had come out as gay. Apple has since updated the feature to display AI-generated summaries in italics, making it easier for users to distinguish them from app-generated notifications.
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How to disable Apple Intelligence
While Apple Intelligence is now enabled by default, users can opt out or disable specific features. To turn off Apple Intelligence entirely, navigate to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and toggle the feature off. For those who want to keep some functionalities, individual features like ChatGPT integration, email summarization, and app-specific AI suggestions can be disabled separately. Apple has also made it easier to manage AI-summarized notifications, allowing users to turn them off directly from the notification menu.
Featured image credit: appshunter.io/Unsplash
