Apple users trust their devices to give accurate, authentic notifications—from new messages and alerts to security warnings. But what if an app could pretend to *be* the system, tricking us into clicking, sharing data, or even thinking our device was in danger? That’s the scenario behind CVE-2025-24091, a vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS. This post dives into what happened, what could go wrong, how it was fixed, and what you should do next.

What Is CVE-2025-24091?

In early 2025, researchers uncovered a bug in iOS (up to 18.2) and iPadOS (up to 17.7.2) that allowed third-party apps to *impersonate system notifications*. By exploiting loose entitlements, a malicious app could display alerts and banners *identical* to genuine system messages. Some of those could be highly sensitive—like security warnings or prompts to enter your password.

Even more dangerous: This bug could be used for *denial-of-service* (DoS). An app might flood the device with fake notifications, making it unusable.

iOS 18.3

- iPadOS 18.3, iPadOS 17.7.3 (Apple Security Updates)

Notification Impersonation in Action

Normally, only Apple’s own system processes can use certain notification UI elements that look “official.” But due to misconfigured *notification entitlements*, some apps could get access to these functions.

Mimic warnings (e.g., “Your Face ID has been compromised!”)

- Masquerade as bank/email/app notifications

This puts unsuspecting users at risk of phishing, privacy loss, or simply being tricked.

Example: Code for Spoofed Notification

Here’s a simplified Swift code snippet showing how a rogue app could exploit weak entitlements (BEFORE the fix):

import UserNotifications

let content = UNMutableNotificationContent()
content.title = "System Alert"
content.body = "Enter your Apple ID password to continue."
content.sound = .default

// Abuse API or entitlements if available
let trigger = UNTimeIntervalNotificationTrigger(timeInterval: 1, repeats: false)
let request = UNNotificationRequest(identifier: "FakeSystem", content: content, trigger: trigger)

UNUserNotificationCenter.current().add(request) { error in
    if let error = error {
        print("Notification Error: \(error)")
    }
}

By combining Apple-style assets (icon, colors) and clever text, the notification can look completely legit.

The Denial-of-Service Angle

Not only could an app *trick* users; it could spam so many notifications that the device slows to a crawl or becomes unresponsive. This is the DoS aspect—imagine hundreds of system-style popups, all unable to clear until the device restarts. For some victims, that’s the only escape.

Starting in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, Apple made these changes

- Sensitive notifications need restricted entitlements: Only Apple-signed apps, or apps vetted with special permission, can use certain system notification designs.
- Enhanced review and audit: App Store enforcement means non-compliant apps get blocked at submission.

Now, regular apps can’t blend their alerts with the system, slashing the risk of spoofing.

References and Credits

- Apple Security Updates – June 2025
- Apple Platform Security: Notifications
- CVE-2025-24091 (MITRE Database)
- News coverage: The Register - Apple Notification Flaw (sample, not specific to CVE)

Update Now:

Go to Settings → General → Software Update.
Install iOS 18.3 (or iPadOS 18.3/17.7.3).

Be Skeptical:

If you see a pop-up asking for sensitive info—even if it looks “official”—double-check in Settings or with your provider.

Check App Sources:

Only download apps from the App Store, and avoid sideloaded or untrusted sources.

Final Thoughts

CVE-2025-24091 is a wake-up call: when trust in the system UI is broken, *everything* is at risk. Apple’s patch closes the loophole, but the episode reminds us to stay sharp—and apply those updates quickly!


*Feel free to share this post to help keep our Apple community secure!*

Timeline

Published on: 04/30/2025 18:15:39 UTC
Last modified on: 05/12/2025 19:43:23 UTC