A new set of zero-click vulnerabilities in Apple’s AirPlay protocol—known collectively as the Airborne vulnerability—is one of the most serious wireless security threats in recent years. Affecting billions of devices across the Apple ecosystem and beyond, the flaw allows attackers to execute remote code on nearby devices, without any user interaction, simply by being connected to the same Wi-Fi.
This blog will break down how this airborne flaw works, why it’s considered wormable, who’s at risk, and—most importantly—what organizations can do to protect themselves. We’ll also go beyond basic patching advice, exploring the broader risk to supply chains, smart devices, and secure enterprise environments.
What Is the Airborne Vulnerability?
The Airborne vulnerability is a chain of critical flaws in how Apple’s AirPlay protocol handles device discovery and data handshakes over local wireless networks. Specifically, these flaws allow a nearby attacker on the same Wi-Fi network to send crafted packets to an AirPlay-enabled device and trigger Remote Code Execution (RCE). No clicking. No prompts. No warnings.
It’s called “airborne” not because it involves air travel—but because the attack spreads wirelessly. A malicious actor can move from one compromised device to another without ever touching a cable or even interacting with a victim.
Worse, some of these vulnerabilities are wormable—capable of automatically propagating from one vulnerable device to another on the same network, without manual effort. That puts entire networks, meeting rooms, and even hotel floors at risk.
Breaking Down the Key CVEs
The airborne flaw is not a single vulnerability. It’s a set of related issues, each tracked with its own CVE:
- CVE-2025-24252: A use-after-free vulnerability that allows RCE when malformed packets are handled by the AirPlay service on macOS.
- CVE-2025-24206: An authentication bypass, allowing attackers to connect to AirPlay receivers set to “Everyone” or “Same Network” with no user interaction.
- CVE 2025 24132: A buffer overflow in third-party AirPlay SDK implementations, especially in smart TVs and speakers.
- CVE 2025 24271: A flaw in how signed-in Macs process AirPlay traffic, leading to unauthorized session hijacking.
Together, these CVEs create a wormable, zero-click attack surface that spans personal, enterprise, and even industrial networks.
Wormable Meaning: How the Attack Spreads?
The wormable aspect means that once one device is compromised, it can actively scan for others, send malicious payloads, and continue the spread—without user input. In practice, this makes the airborne vulnerability far more dangerous than a typical exploit.
Think of it like a virus that silently moves from one phone to another in a crowded coffee shop, conference room, or coworking space. No one needs to click a phishing link. No one needs to open a suspicious file.
It spreads through trust. And local networks are full of that.
How Does Apple AirPlay Work—and Where’s the Flaw?
AirPlay is Apple’s wireless streaming protocol. It lets users mirror screens, stream video and audio, and share files across devices over Wi-Fi. It relies on:
- Multicast DNS (mDNS) for device discovery
- Bonjour services for pairing and stream negotiation
- TCP/UDP packets for communication and media transfer
Where things go wrong is in how AirPlay trusts devices on the same network. Many systems allow “Anyone on the Same Network” to discover and initiate connections by default. If that interaction is not properly authenticated and sanitized, attackers can abuse it—especially when device-side bugs like buffer overflows or memory corruption (see: CVE 2025 24206) are in play.
Who’s Actually at Risk?
This isn’t just an iPhone problem. The airborne vulnerability affects a wide range of device classes:
- MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones with AirPlay enabled
- Apple TVs used in homes, classrooms, and meeting spaces
- Smart TVs from Sony, Samsung, LG, and others supporting AirPlay 2
- Speakers and audio receivers using licensed AirPlay SDKs (e.g., Sonos, Bose)
- Automotive infotainment systems with CarPlay support
- Routers and access points forwarding AirPlay traffic across subnets
And because the AirPlay SDK is widely licensed, many OEMs and system integrators may be running outdated or unpatched versions, unaware that they’re vulnerable.
Threat Actors: Who Would Use This?
This vulnerability opens the door to various threat actors, including:
- Cybercriminals: looking to compromise devices on public Wi-Fi for data theft or ransomware staging
- Nation-state actors: interested in silent, proximity-based surveillance at embassies, events, or boardrooms
- Insiders: who might use wormable exploits for internal sabotage or exfiltration
Because it’s wireless, silent, and doesn’t require credentials, it’s an ideal tool for initial access.
Real-World Attack Scenario: The Shared Office
Imagine this: A contractor visits a coworking space. Their phone is already compromised. As soon as they connect to the shared Wi-Fi, their malware starts scanning for AirPlay-enabled devices. It finds five:
- Two Apple TVs in meeting rooms
- One MacBook set to mirror displays
- A smart TV in the lounge
- A speaker system in the lobby
Within seconds, the malware exploits CVE-2025-24252 and CVE-2025-24206 to achieve RCE and install a persistent backdoor. The MacBook is running a VPN client. Through that tunnel, the attacker can now reach the internal dev environment.
This isn’t theory. This is the risk.
Why Patching Isn’t Enough?
Yes, patching helps. But patching:
- Relies on users or admins being aware
- Can’t fix third-party SDKs still vulnerable
- Doesn’t stop future bugs in similar protocols
Security shouldn’t rely on flawless code. It should assume compromise is possible and build barriers around the blast radius.
Defense in Depth: What You Can Do Today?
To truly mitigate the airborne vulnerability, organizations should implement layered controls:
1. AirPlay Hardening
- Set AirPlay access to “Only People Sharing This Network” or disable it entirely
- Require PIN or password authentication
- Disable AirPlay on systems that don’t use it (especially remote workers)
2. Network Segmentation
- Separate AV/IoT devices from employee workstations
- Block or limit multicast DNS and SSDP across VLANs
- Isolate guest Wi-Fi from corporate systems
3. Anomaly Detection
- Monitor for excessive mDNS/SSDP traffic
- Watch for new devices sending AirPlay-style packets
- Correlate AirPlay sessions with user activity to flag anomalies
4. Zero Trust Access
- Don’t assume that “local device” = “trusted device”
- Use identity-based policies even inside your own office
5. Inventory & Exposure Scanning
- Scan your environment for active AirPlay devices
- Cross-check with device patch status
- Build a policy to remove or patch outdated third-party hardware
Supply Chain & OEM Blind Spots
The flaw goes deeper than the devices you manage. Many TVs, speakers, and receivers use embedded versions of the AirPlay SDK from years ago. Manufacturers may no longer support them. Integrators may not even know they’re vulnerable.
This creates supply chain exposure. Devices inside your office or on client sites could become your weakest link. Without a clear asset inventory and lifecycle policy, you won’t know where the risk ends.
Compliance Risk: What If You’re in a Regulated Industry?
If you’re in finance, healthcare, automotive, or education, here’s what this airborne flaw could mean:
- HIPAA: Patient data mirrored via AirPlay from tablets in clinics = risk of unauthorized access
- GDPR: Personal data displayed or transmitted over compromised devices = data breach notification
- ISO 27001 / SOC 2: Failure to segment and secure local wireless = failure to meet network security controls
- Automotive safety standards: Wireless infotainment compromise may impact functional safety compliance
It’s not just a tech issue. It’s a governance issue.
How This Compares to BlueBorne and KRACK?
| Vulnerability | Protocol | Interaction Needed | Wormable | Notable Impact |
| KRACK | WPA2 | No | No | Wi-Fi key theft |
| BlueBorne | Bluetooth | No | Yes | RCE on Android/iOS |
| Airborne | AirPlay | No | Yes | RCE on Apple + IoT |
Airborne stands out for its scope. Unlike Bluetooth or WPA2, AirPlay is often unmonitored and unmanaged, running on devices outside IT’s control.
How Much Does It Cost to Run Your Own VPN?
Many businesses try to DIY their VPN stack to keep costs down. But consider:
- Infrastructure (servers, bandwidth): $20–$50/month per 100 users
- Admin overhead: Patching, uptime, DDoS protection
- Security risks: Misconfigurations, outdated clients, poor logging
That doesn’t include the time you’ll spend handling tickets, outages, or compliance gaps.
A Smarter Option: PureWL’s White-Label VPN Platform
PureWL is a turnkey white-label VPN platform designed for businesses that want security without complexity.
With PureWL, you get:
- A fully managed VPN network (6,500+ servers in 70+ countries)
- Custom-branded apps (no mention of PureWL anywhere)
- WireGuard and OpenVPN support with enterprise-grade encryption
- Centralized user management with access controls
- Reliable security updates and threat detection baked in
No patching VPN servers. No scrambling when the next airborne vulnerability shows up. Just secure connections you can trust—under your brand.
Conclusion
The airborne vulnerability in Apple’s AirPlay protocol is a reminder that even convenient, familiar features can become threats. It spreads silently. It targets trust. And in unprepared environments, it can cause real damage.
For enterprises, this is a call to action. Audit your wireless landscape. Segment your networks. Disable unnecessary protocols. And if you rely on VPNs for secure access, make sure that infrastructure is just as airtight.
Patching is good. Layered defense is better. And for everything else, there’s PureWL.