CVE-2025-31229
Apple Ipados ≤ 18.6
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:HSummary
CVE-2025-31229 is a critical-severity Weak Encoding for Password (CWE-261) vulnerability in Apple Ipados. Its CVSS base score is 9.1 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Unsecured Credentials (T1552); ranked in the top 49% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-13 (Cryptographic Protection) and IA-5 (Authenticator Management) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2025-31229 is a logic issue addressed with improved checks in the VoiceOver accessibility feature on iOS and iPadOS prior to version 18.6. The vulnerability enables the passcode to be read aloud by VoiceOver. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.1 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H) and is associated with CWE-261 (Weak Encoding for Password).
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low attack complexity, requiring no privileges, authentication, or user interaction. Exploitation results in high confidentiality and availability impacts, allowing the attacker to cause the device to audibly disclose the passcode via VoiceOver.
Apple's advisory confirms the issue is fixed in iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 through improved checks. Additional details are provided in the support article at https://support.apple.com/en-us/124147 and the Full Disclosure mailing list posting at http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jul/30.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-23122
Vulnerability Data
A logic issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6. Passcode may be read aloud by VoiceOver.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Control response
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- 4 hardening rules · 1 OS baseline
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Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Cryptographic protection mandates approved algorithms and key management that preclude weak encoding schemes for sensitive data such as passwords.
Authenticator management requires secure generation, storage, and distribution of passwords rather than trivial encoding.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Proper cryptographic hashing for data-at-rest directly prevents trivial password encoding while the control addresses broader data protection needs.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Requires appropriate use of cryptography, indirectly discouraging weak encoding schemes.
Requires secure handling and protection of authentication information, directly addressing weak password encoding.
Enforces secure coding practices that would reject trivial password encoding.
Mandates secure authentication mechanisms, which precludes trivial encoding of passwords.