An out‑of‑bounds read in macOS can cause an application to cause unexpected system termination, effectively crashing the operating system. The weakness is identified as CWE‑125 and indicates that improper bounds checking can lead to memory errors that destabilize the kernel. An attacker who controls or can influence an application that triggers the fault may be able to force the system to crash, leading to loss of availability for the affected user or organization.

Apple macOS is affected, specifically all releases prior to the corrective updates: macOS Sequoia earlier than 15.4, Sonoma earlier than 14.7.5, and Ventura earlier than 13.7.5. The published fix addresses these versions and subsequent releases, but any older firmware remains vulnerable.

The CVSS score of 9.8 classifies the vulnerability as critical, and the EPSS score of less than 1% indicates a low probability of widespread exploitation at this time. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, suggesting no known large‑scale exploitation yet. The likely attack vector is local or remote attackers who can run malicious or untrusted applications, as the flaw is triggered by an app causing an out‑of‑bounds read. Given the high severity, immediate patching is recommended to mitigate potential denial‑of‑service incidents.