CVE-2023-28205
Apple Multiple Products WebKit Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Apple Multiple Products
A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 16.4.1, iOS 15.7.5 and iPadOS 15.7.5, iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, macOS Ventura 13.3.1. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 10 April 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 1 May 2023.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 27.1%, which is higher than 98.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2023-28205 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2023-28205.
What does CVE-2023-28205 affect?
CVE-2023-28205 affects Apple Multiple Products. A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 16.4.1, iOS 15.7.5 and iPadOS 15.7.5, iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, macOS Ventura 13.3.1. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
How severe is CVE-2023-28205?
CVE-2023-28205 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 8.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 27.1%, higher than 98.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 1 May 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2023-28205?
Apply the vendor patch for Apple Multiple Products as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.