CVE-2025-24091 - The Apple Notification Spoofing Flaw That Could Have Fooled Us All

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