CVE-2023-42916
Apple Multiple Products WebKit Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability
Apple Multiple Products
An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, macOS Sonoma 14.1.2, Safari 17.1.2. Processing web content may disclose sensitive information. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.1.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 4 December 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 25 December 2023.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 17.8%, which is higher than 97.2% 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:N/A:N
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2023-42916 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2023-42916.
What does CVE-2023-42916 affect?
CVE-2023-42916 affects Apple Multiple Products. An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, macOS Sonoma 14.1.2, Safari 17.1.2. Processing web content may disclose sensitive information. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.1.
How severe is CVE-2023-42916?
CVE-2023-42916 is rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 6.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 17.8%, higher than 97.2% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 25 December 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2023-42916?
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.