ZeroHour

CVE-2023-28206

KEVmass1

Out-of-Bounds Write in Apple IOSurfaceAccelerator Allows Kernel-Level Code Execution

CISA: Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS IOSurfaceAccelerator Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability

CVSS 3.1
8.6 high
EPSS
23%p98
Published
()
KEV added
AI analysis

Apple's IOSurfaceAccelerator component in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS contains an out-of-bounds write flaw (CWE-787). The bug is triggered by an application running locally on the device, which can corrupt memory in the component during a write past a buffer boundary. A successful exploit allows the app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, giving it full control of the device beyond the normal app sandbox. Any user of an Apple iOS, iPadOS, or macOS device running an affected, unpatched version is exposed. The flaw was added to CISA KEV on 2023-04-10, confirming known in-the-wild exploitation; ransomware use is unknown, no public PoC is available, and EPSS assigns a 24.5% probability of exploitation within 30 days (98th percentile).

What to do: Update all iPhones, iPads, and Macs to the latest iOS/iPadOS/macOS versions available as of April 2023, per CISA's required action and Apple's security advisories. Use MDM or patch-reporting tooling to inventory endpoints and confirm no devices remain on pre-patch builds. Because exploitation is confirmed in the wild and any local app can act as the trigger, patching is the primary mitigation and there is no dependable configuration workaround.

Affected
Apple iOS
Apple iPadOS
Apple macOS
Estimated exposure
masshundreds of millions of devices (Apple's active iPhone/iPad/Mac installed base exceeds 1 billion) — The flaw resides in core Apple operating system code, so every unpatched iPhone, iPad, or Mac is potentially affected, and Apple's active device installed base of well over 1 billion means even a modest unpatched fraction represents…

Order-of-magnitude estimate by the model from install counts, market share and public scan data it knows; verify before quoting.

Description

An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.5, iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, macOS Ventura 13.3.1, iOS 15.7.5 and iPadOS 15.7.5, macOS Big Sur 11.7.6. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability
Affected
Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Due date
Ransomware use
Unknown
Vendors
apple
Products
ipados, iphone os, macos
Weakness
CWE-787
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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