CVE-2023-38606
Apple Multiple Products Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability
Apple Multiple Products
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.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 26 July 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 16 August 2023.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 2.9%, which is higher than 87.1% 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:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2023-38606 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2023-38606.
What does CVE-2023-38606 affect?
CVE-2023-38606 affects Apple Multiple Products. 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.
How severe is CVE-2023-38606?
CVE-2023-38606 is rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.9%, higher than 87.1% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 16 August 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2023-38606?
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.