An authentication bypass flaw in the Hidden Photos Album allows a user to view photos stored there without proper verification. The weakness stems from inadequate state management in the Photos app, enabling reference to the hidden photo container regardless of user authentication. This could expose sensitive images, compromising confidentiality for the device owner.

The vulnerability affects Apple’s iOS and iPadOS platforms. The flaw exists in iOS versions prior to 18.4 and iPadOS versions prior to 18.4 or 17.7.6. Devices running these versions and using the Hidden Photos Album are susceptible.

The CVSS score is 5.4, reflecting a moderate impact. The EPSS score of less than 1% indicates a low probability of exploitation at this time. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA’s KEV catalogue, suggesting no publicly known active exploitation yet. Attackers would likely need local access to the device but could leverage the Hidden Photos Album feature without requiring user credentials, implying a local privilege escalation path.