Apple patches zero-day bugs exploited against iOS Users
Apple has rolled out the latest security update that fixes critical zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in iOS.
Not long ago, iPhone users started getting alerts to update their devices. It seemed routine, but behind that update were two serious security flaws that had already been exploited in real-world attacks. These weren’t ordinary bugs. They were zero-days, meaning attackers found and used them before Apple even knew they existed.
One flaw was buried in Apple’s Core Audio system (CVE-2025-31200), the tech that handles sound on devices like iPhones, Macs, and Apple TVs. Hackers could trigger it just by getting a device to play a specially crafted audio file—no tapping or downloading needed. The other flaw (CVE-2025-31201) allowed attackers to sidestep pointer authentication, a key security measure that protects memory from being tampered with.
Apple quietly rolled out fixes this week across its devices: iOS 18.4.1 for iPhones, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 for Macs, and updates for Apple TV and Vision Pro. The company didn’t say much about who was targeted or how widespread the attacks were. But the fact that one of the bugs was flagged by Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which investigates government-backed hacking campaigns, points to something bigger, possibly highly targeted surveillance or espionage.
This isn’t the first time Apple has dealt with such a threat. In January 2025, Apple patched a similar zero-day vulnerability in its CoreMedia framework, also under active exploitation.
On the other end of the lake, Google also recently fixed 62 security issues in Android, two of which were being used by attackers in the wild.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
This event points to a pattern that zero-day attacks are no longer rare or limited to high-profile systems. Every day devices, phones, laptops, and even headsets are being tested for weaknesses by increasingly sophisticated threats.
For now, the fixes are out. But the bigger question lingers: how many more vulnerabilities are being used before anyone even knows they exist?
Kelechi Edeh
