Actively exploited vulnerability

Apple products: vulnerability flaw under attack

CVE-2023-38606 · Apple Multiple Products Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability

Concerns everyone who uses it5.5 medium

What is affected

Apple products are found on ordinary personal computers and phones, so this is not only a problem for companies. If you use them and have not updated since the fix was released, you are exposed.

Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS contain an unspecified vulnerability allowing an app to modify a sensitive kernel state.

CISA's description

What an attacker can do

This is a vulnerability flaw. It lets an attacker misuse the product in a way its maker did not intend. CISA lists it because attackers are confirmed to be using it against real systems.

How it is reached
Needs access to the device or a file opened on it
Access the attacker needs
No account needed
Does the victim have to do something?
Yes, the victim must open or click something

What to do

  1. Update Apple products now. Open the update or "About" screen, install whatever is offered and restart the app or device, because the fix is not active until you do.
  2. Turn on automatic updates so the next fix arrives without you having to look for it.
  3. If your device is too old to receive this update, stop using the affected app for anything sensitive and plan a replacement.

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Action required by CISA for US federal agencies

Vendor advisories and fixes

How urgent is it

CISA added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on July 26, 2023, which means there is reliable evidence of attacks in the wild. US federal agencies must fix it by August 16, 2023, a deadline that has already passed. That deadline does not bind anyone else, but it shows how seriously the agency rates it.

The EPSS model estimates a 2.9% probability that this flaw will be exploited somewhere in the next 30 days. That is higher than 87% of all scored vulnerabilities.

Its CVSS severity score is 5.5 out of 10 (medium), as recorded in the US National Vulnerability Database.

Technical description

This issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.8, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6. An app may be able to modify sensitive kernel state. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1.

NIST National Vulnerability Database
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