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Vulnerabilities/CVE-2021-1870
Vulnerability dossier

CVE-2021-1870

Apple iOS/macOS Remote Arbitrary Code Execution Logic Issue

VendorapplePublishedApr 2, 2021SourceNVD
Act now

Actively exploited in the wild. Patch or mitigate immediately — don't wait for a maintenance window.

Severity
Critical · 9.8
CVSS base score
Exploitation
In the wild
CISA KEV
Predicted risk
8% model
EPSS forecast — overtaken by confirmed exploitation
Exposure
Internet-facing
Exploitable remotely, no login, no user action
01

What's the risk?

An unauthenticated attacker, remotely over the network, with no user interaction, can fully compromise the system — steal data, tamper with it and take it offline.

A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.2, Security Update 2021-001 Catalina, Security Update 2021-001 Mojave, iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4. A remote attacker may be able to cause arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited..

How it's exploitedMITRE ATT&CK · inferred from weakness & vector
Initial Access
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Inferred from the weakness type (CWE) and how the flaw is reached — the techniques an attacker would chain to exploit this. Real-world corroboration appears here as threat intel is folded in.

02

Who's exploiting it?

Corroborated threat activity referencing this CVE — with source and confidence, not inference.

Confirmed exploited in the wild. CISA KEV · catalogued Nov 3, 2021

Named threat actors and observed ATT&CK techniques appear here as intel feeds are folded in — the ATT&CK chain above stays inferred until then.

03

Are we affected?

10
  • Affectedapple · ipadosall versions
  • Affectedapple · iphone_osall versions
  • Affectedapple · mac_os_x10.15.7
  • Affectedapple · mac_os_xall versions
  • Affectedapple · mac_os_x10.15.7
  • Affectedapple · mac_os_x10.15.7
  • Affectedapple · macosall versions
  • Affectedfedoraproject · fedora32
  • Affectedfedoraproject · fedora33
  • Affectedwebkitgtk · webkitgtkall versions
04

What to do

Generated by Wavense from the CVE record — an immediate mitigation and the permanent fix.

  1. !

    Mitigate now

    Until patches can be applied, restrict untrusted network access to critical devices and implement strict network segmentation where possible. Enhance monitoring for unusual network traffic or process activity originating from Apple endpoints. Advise users to avoid opening suspicious links or attachments on their iOS/macOS devices.

  2. ✓

    Permanent fix

    The permanent resolution is to immediately apply the available security updates from Apple. Upgrade macOS Big Sur to version 11.2, or install Security Update 2021-001 for Catalina and Mojave. For mobile devices, update iOS and iPadOS to version 14.4 or later to remediate this critical vulnerability.

Technical details— weakness, CVSS vector & calculator, related CVEs

Business impact

A remote attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution on affected Apple devices. This allows for full system compromise, leading to data exfiltration, installation of malware, and potential further access to internal networks. Given active exploitation, the risk of significant business disruption and data breaches is extremely high.

Weakness

No CWE classification has been assigned.

CVSS 3.1 details

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
0.0
/ 10.0 base
Critical severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploitability metrics
Attack VectorAV
Remotely exploitable across a network
Attack ComplexityAC
No special conditions required
Privileges RequiredPR
No authorization needed
User InteractionUI
No user participation needed
Impact metrics
ScopeS
Impact confined to the vulnerable component
ConfidentialityC
Total loss of confidentiality
IntegrityI
Total loss of integrity
AvailabilityA
Total loss of availability

Related vulnerabilities

Other CVEs affecting ipados

NVD
10.0Critical
CVE-2025-43300KEV

An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 15.8.5 and iPadOS 15.8.5, iOS 16.7.12 and iPadOS 16.7.12, iOS 18.6.2 and iPadOS 18.6.2, iPadOS 17.7.10, macOS Sequoia 15.6.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.8, macOS Ventura 13.7.8. Processing a malicious image file may result in memory corruption. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.

appleCWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2025-08-20
NVD
10.0Critical
CVE-2025-24201KEV

An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved checks to prevent unauthorized actions. This issue is fixed in Safari 18.3.1, iOS 15.8.4 and iPadOS 15.8.4, iOS 16.7.11 and iPadOS 16.7.11, iOS 18.3.2 and iPadOS 18.3.2, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.3.2, visionOS 2.3.2, watchOS 11.4. Maliciously crafted web content may be able to break out of Web Content sandbox. This is a supplementary fix for an attack that was blocked in iOS 17.2. (Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.).

appleCWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2025-03-11
NVD
10.0Critical
CVE-2025-24085KEVPoC

A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sequoia 15.3, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, watchOS 11.3. A malicious application may be able to elevate privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.

appleCWE-416Use After FreeNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2025-01-27
NVD
10.0Critical
CVE-2015-3306KEV⚙ WeaponizedExploit likely

The mod_copy module in ProFTPD 1.3.5 allows remote attackers to read and write to arbitrary files via the site cpfr and site cpto commands.

fedoraprojectCWE-284Improper Access ControlNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2015-05-18
NVD
9.8Critical
CVE-2026-65400KEV

An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.7.9, macOS Sonoma 14.8.9, macOS Tahoe 26.6.1, macOS Tahoe 26.7. An attacker on the network may be able to authenticate to Screen Sharing without valid credentials.

appleCWE-287Improper AuthenticationNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2026-08-06
NVD
9.8Critical
CVE-2025-31201KEV

This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, visionOS 2.4.1. An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS.

appleCWE-1220NetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2025-04-16
NVD
9.8Critical
CVE-2025-31200KEV

A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, visionOS 2.4.1, watchOS 11.5. Processing an audio stream in a maliciously crafted media file may result in code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS released before iOS 18.4.1.

appleCWE-119Memory Buffer ErrorNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2025-04-16
NVD
9.8Critical
CVE-2024-4577KEV⚙ WeaponizedExploit likely

In PHP versions 8.1.* before 8.1.29, 8.2.* before 8.2.20, 8.3.* before 8.3.8, when using Apache and PHP-CGI on Windows, if the system is set up to use certain code pages, Windows may use "Best-Fit" behavior to replace characters in command line given to Win32 API functions. PHP CGI module may misinterpret those characters as PHP options, which may allow a malicious user to pass options to PHP binary being run, and thus reveal the source code of scripts, run arbitrary PHP code on the server, etc.

phpCWE-78OS Command InjectionNetworkLow effortNo authNo interactionCIA
2024-06-09
0.0
/ 10.0 base
Critical severity
Key facts
CVE ID
CVE-2021-1870
Published
Apr 2, 2021
Last modified
Oct 23, 2025
CVSS
9.8 (v3.1)
EPSS
7.71%
In CISA KEV
Yes
Confidence
98/100
Timeline
  1. Apr 2, 2021Published to NVDNVD
  2. Oct 23, 2025Record last modifiedNVD
  3. Sep 1, 2026AI analysis generatedWavense
View on NVD