CVE-2023-42824KEV · OVERDUE

Apple iOS and iPadOS Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

High · published October 4, 2023

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 7.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 61.6th percentile for exploit probability.

1094
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
7.8
EPSS
1%
Percentile
61.6
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A local attacker can elevate their privileges on vulnerable iOS devices — it's like someone finding a hidden door to access the VIP lounge without a badge! ⚡ Think of your iPhone as a secured hotel, with floors reserved for guests and a special penthouse suite for VIPs. This vulnerability lets a crafty intruder sneak into that penthouse without needing a keycard, gaining access to privileged features and data. If an attacker exploits this vulnerability, they could gain unauthorized access to sensitive information and perform harmful actions as if they were a trusted user. This could lead to data theft or manipulation, making it a significant risk for users running affected versions of iOS before 16.6.

Put simply

Think of your iPhone as a secured hotel, with floors reserved for guests and a special penthouse suite for VIPs. This vulnerability lets a crafty intruder sneak into that penthouse without needing a keycard, gaining access to privileged features and data. CVE-2023-42824 arises from insufficient privilege checks in iOS, allowing local attackers to elevate their privileges on devices. This issue has been actively exploited in the wild, targeting users who have not updated their devices.

What to do

If an attacker exploits this vulnerability, they could gain unauthorized access to sensitive information and perform harmful actions as if they were a trusted user. This could lead to data theft or manipulation, making it a significant risk for users running affected versions of iOS before 16.6. To secure your device, immediately update to iOS 16.7.1 or iPadOS 16.7.1. Regularly check for updates and ensure your device settings allow automatic updates to protect against such vulnerabilities in the future. You’ve got this! With these updates, you’ll be locking down your device like a pro! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
7.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00971 · 61.6th percentile
Published
2023-10-04T18:02Z
KEV added
2023-10-05 · due 2023-10-26
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 05 OCT 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by Oct 26
    kev
  • 04 OCT 18:02Z
    The issue was addressed with improved checks
    cvelistv5