Apple Rushes to Patch Zero-Day Flaws Exploited for Pegasus Spyware on iPhones
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-38606 | Kernel State-Tampering Flaw in Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS CVE-2023-38606 is a kernel vulnerability in Apple's iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS, caused by a state-management defect that allowed an app running on the device to modify sensitive kernel state; Apple fixed it with improved state management in its July 2023 updates. Exploitation is local and requires user interaction (a user must run a malicious app), and successful exploitation lets the attacker alter protected kernel state, with the CVSS scoring high integrity impact but no direct confidentiality or availability loss. Apple stated the issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1, and CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-07-26; related reporting around this period links 2023 Triangulation-campaign exploit code to recent mass attack activity via the 'Coruna' iOS exploit kit. All users of iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple TVs and Apple Watches running software older than the July 2023 patched releases (iOS 15.7.8/16.6, iPadOS 15.7.8/16.6, macOS 11.7.9/12.6.8/13.5, tvOS 16.6, watchOS 9.6) are affected. Do: Update all affected devices to the patched releases: iOS 16.6 or iOS 15.7.8, iPadOS 16.6 or 15.7.8, macOS Ventura 13.5 / Monterey 12.6.8 / Big Sur 11.7.9, tvOS 16.6, and watchOS 9.6. No workarounds are documented; because the flaw is triggered by apps, users on unpatched devices should avoid installing or running untrusted apps. The CVE is in the CISA KEV catalog (added 2023-07-26), so federal agencies must apply the vendor fixes within the required BOD 22-01 timelines. | 5.5 | 3% | KEV |
| mass>1 billion active Apple devices (Apple reported an installed base exceeding 2 billion active devices in 2023) | |
| CVE-2023-41061 | Actively Exploited Wallet Flaw Enables Code Execution on Apple iOS, iPadOS, watchOS Apple patched an input validation flaw (CVE-2023-41061, CWE-20) in the Wallet component of iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS that can allow arbitrary code execution when a user interacts with a maliciously crafted attachment. The attack is local and requires user interaction (CVSS 7.8, AV:L/UI:R), so the victim must open or act on the crafted attachment — typically delivered through messaging or another application — for the exploit to succeed. A successful attack yields code execution on the device, and media reports describe it as having been used in 'extremely sophisticated attacks' chained with other Apple zero-days. Anyone running iPhone OS (iOS), iPadOS, or watchOS versions prior to iOS/iPadOS 16.6.1 and watchOS 9.6.2 is affected, a population on the order of a billion active devices. Apple disclosed the issue as actively exploited, and CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2023-09-11. Do: Immediately update iPhones and iPads to iOS/iPadOS 16.6.1 or later, and Apple Watch to watchOS 9.6.2 or later. Because the flaw is listed in CISA's KEV catalog and was actively exploited at disclosure, treat patching as urgent for all user fleets, especially high-value targets; until patched, exercise caution with attachments from untrusted sources. No public proof-of-concept is known, but defenders should check fleet OS versions for stragglers on pre-16.6.1 builds. | 7.8 | 4% | KEV |
| massover 1 billion active devices (combined iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch fleet not yet patched) | |
| CVE-2023-41064 | ImageIO Buffer Overflow in Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Allows Code Execution CVE-2023-41064 is a buffer overflow (CWE-120) in the ImageIO component of Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that is triggered when the system processes a maliciously crafted image. Because ImageIO performs image decoding for messaging and web content, an attacker can reach the flaw through attachments or web pages, and successful exploitation may allow arbitrary code execution on the device. The flaw was exploited in the wild as part of a chain with CVE-2023-41061 (WebKit), which public reporting described as a zero-click, spyware-grade compromise chain used against civil-society targets. All users of iPhones, iPads, and Macs running builds released before Apple's September 2023 fixes are affected, making the exposed population extremely large. The vulnerability was added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2023-09-11, carries a high EPSS score of 45.1% (99th percentile), and no standalone public proof-of-concept is known because exploitation is occurring in real-world attacks rather than labs. Do: Apply Apple's September 2023 fixes — iOS and iPadOS 16.6.1 or later and macOS Ventura 13.5.2 or later — across all iPhone, iPad, and Mac fleets, which satisfies the CISA KEV required action. Because the observed in-the-wild chain paired this ImageIO bug with the CVE-2023-41061 WebKit flaw, treat unpatched devices as actively targeted and prioritize high-value users and privileged endpoints. If updates cannot be deployed promptly, follow the KEV guidance to apply vendor mitigations or discontinue use of the affected devices. | 7.8 | 45% | KEV |
| masshundreds of millions of devices (Apple's installed base of active iPhones, iPads, and Macs exceeds 1 billion) |
Full article539 words · extracted from thehackernews.com · click to collapse
Ravie LakshmananSep 08, 2023Spyware / Vulnerability
Apple on Thursday released emergency security updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS to address two zero-day flaws that have been exploited in the wild to deliver NSO Group's Pegasus mercenary spyware.
The issues are described as below -
- CVE-2023-41061 - A validation issue in Wallet that could result in arbitrary code execution when handling a maliciously crafted attachment.
- CVE-2023-41064 - A buffer overflow issue in the Image I/O component that could result in arbitrary code execution when processing a maliciously crafted image.
While CVE-2023-41064 was found by the Citizen Lab at the University of Torontoʼs Munk School, CVE-2023-41061 was discovered internally by Apple, with "assistance" from the Citizen Lab.
The updates are available for the following devices and operating systems -
- iOS 16.6.1 and iPadOS 16.6.1 - iPhone 8 and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later
- macOS Ventura 13.5.2 - macOS devices running macOS Ventura
- watchOS 9.6.2 - Apple Watch Series 4 and later
In a separate alert, Citizen Lab revealed that the twin flaws have been weaponized as part of a zero-click iMessage exploit chain named BLASTPASS to deploy Pegasus on fully-patched iPhones running iOS 16.6.
"The exploit chain was capable of compromising iPhones running the latest version of iOS (16.6) without any interaction from the victim," the interdisciplinary laboratory said. "The exploit involved PassKit attachments containing malicious images sent from an attacker iMessage account to the victim."
Additional technical specifics about the shortcomings have been withheld in light of active exploitation. That said, the exploit is said to bypass the BlastDoor sandbox framework set up by Apple to mitigate zero-click attacks.
"This latest find shows once again that civil society is targeted by highly sophisticated exploits and mercenary spyware," Citizen Lab said, adding the issues were found last week when examining the device of an unidentified individual employed by a Washington D.C.-based civil society organization with international offices.
Cupertino has so far fixed a total of 13 zero-day bugs in its software since the start of the year. The latest updates also arrive more than a month after the company shipped fixes for an actively exploited kernel flaw (CVE-2023-38606).
News of the zero-days comes as the Chinese government is believed to have ordered a ban prohibiting central and state government officials from using iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work in an attempt to reduce reliance on overseas technology and amid an escalating Sino-U.S. trade war.
"The real reason [for the ban] is: cybersecurity (surprise surprise)," Zuk Avraham, security researcher and founder of Zimperium, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "iPhones have an image of being the most secure phone... but in reality, iPhones are not safe at all against simple espionage."
"Don't believe me? Just look at the number of 0-clicks commercial companies like NSO had over the years to understand that there is almost nothing an individual, an organization, or a government can do to protect itself against cyber espionage via iPhones."
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Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://thehackernews.com/2023/09/apple-rushes-to-patch-zero-day-flaws.html