Apple Releases Security Patches For Older iPhone and iPad Models
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2022-42856 | Type Confusion in Apple WebKit (Safari/iOS/macOS/tvOS), Actively Exploited CVE-2022-42856 is a type confusion vulnerability (CWE-843) in Apple's WebKit web engine, addressed with improved state handling and affecting Safari, iPhone OS (iOS), iPadOS, macOS (Ventura) and tvOS. It is triggered when a user processes maliciously crafted web content, for example by visiting an attacker-controlled web page, in a WebKit-based browser or app. Successful exploitation may lead to arbitrary code execution on the affected device. Anyone running the affected Apple platforms below the December 2022 patch level (Safari 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, tvOS 16.2, iOS/iPadOS 15.7.2, iOS 16.1.2) was exposed, which effectively means most Apple users at the time of disclosure. Exploitation is confirmed: Apple reported the issue may have been actively exploited against iOS versions released before iOS 15.1, it was added to CISA KEV on 2022-12-14 (EPSS 8.5%, 95th percentile), and related reporting ties it to commercial spyware campaigns in Italy, Malaysia, Kazakhstan and the UAE. Do: Update immediately to Safari 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and iOS/iPadOS 15.7.2 (for iOS 15-era devices) or iOS 16.1.2 (for iOS 16-era devices), or any later release; this is a CISA KEV entry whose required action is to apply vendor updates. Because the flaw was exploited as a zero-day against iOS versions before iOS 15.1 and is linked to commercial spyware campaigns, treat patching as urgent and verify that all managed and BYOD iPhones and iPads are on a fixed version; on iOS, all third-party browsers and most web-content apps use WebKit, so the OS update itself is the remediation rather than switching browsers. | 8.8 | 9% | KEV |
| mass~1 billion+ Apple devices at disclosure (every iOS/iPadOS/macOS/tvOS device below the December 2022 patch level; Apple's active installed base exceeds 1… | |
| CVE-2023-23529 | WebKit Type Confusion RCE in Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari CVE-2023-23529 is a type confusion flaw (CWE-843) in Apple's WebKit engine, which renders web content in Safari and in the system web components of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It is triggered when a device processes maliciously crafted web content, typically when a user is lured into viewing an attacker-controlled web page or other web-rendered content. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application (CVSS 3.1: 8.8, network vector, requiring user interaction). Affected users are those running iOS/iPadOS versions before the February 2023 fixes, macOS Ventura before 13.2.1, or Safari before 16.3. Apple reported the issue may have been actively exploited before patching, and CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-02-14; no public proof-of-concept is known. Do: Apply the vendor updates immediately per CISA's KEV required action: iOS/iPadOS 16.3.1 (or 15.7.4 for devices remaining on the iOS 15 branch), macOS Ventura 13.2.1, and Safari 16.3. Inventory managed iPhones, iPads, and Macs to verify updated versions, prioritizing devices used to browse untrusted web content. As an interim mitigation, treat untrusted links and web content with caution until all endpoints are patched. | 8.8 | 10% | KEV |
| massorder of 1 billion+ devices/users (Apple's active installed base of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices and Safari's user base exceed a billion; nearly all ran… |
Full article306 words · extracted from infosecurity-magazine.com · click to collapse
Apple has released fixes for a vulnerability affecting older iPhone and iPad models that could lead to remote code execution (RCE).
The tech giant released the iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4 updates alongside the new iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 versions (for newer Apple models) on Monday.
The flaw affects a number of older Apple devices, including all iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 models, the first-generation iPhone SEs, the iPad Air 2, the fourth-generation iPad mini and the seventh-generation iPod touch.
The vulnerability (CVE-2023-23529) refers to a type confusion bug in the WebKit browser engine. It was reportedly fixed by Apple on February 13, but only disclosed on Monday.
“Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution,” Apple explained in the advisory. “For our customers’ protection, Apple doesn’t disclose, discuss or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available.”
At the same time, the Cupertino-based company said they were aware of “a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.”
As is customary, the company did not share details about how the vulnerability was being exploited in the wild or what its impact was on iPhone and iPad users. Apple said the type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks. An anonymous researcher was credited with the discovery.
The patches come a few months after Apple released a separate fix for a zero-day security flaw (CVE-2022-42856) that was actively exploited in the wild.
More recently, cybersecurity researchers from Trellix have shed light on six vulnerabilities on macOS and iOS, and an entirely new bug class based on the ForcedEntry attack used to deploy the NSO Group’s mobile Pegasus malware.
Editorial image credit: nikkimeel / Shutterstock.com
Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/apple-patches-older-iphone-ipad/