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TI-2023-19978 Aliases CVE-2023-38606GHSA-8fwg-w59v-g942

Apple tvOS: An app may be able to modify sensitive kernel state

Priority HIGH 82Exploited in the wildPublished · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · High · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA.

Summary

This issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.8, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6. An app may be able to modify sensitive kernel state. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Active In CISA KEV since 2023-07-26CISA due date 2023-08-16
EPSS 0.02899 87th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed tvOS (Apple): 16.6iOS and iPadOS (Apple): 16.6, 15.7+2 more products

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Active
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
AppletvOSbefore 16.616.6Patch availableCNA
AppleiOS and iPadOSbefore 16.616.6Patch availableCNA
ApplemacOSbefore 13.513.5Patch availableCNA
AppleiOS and iPadOSbefore 15.715.7Patch availableCNA
ApplemacOSbefore 11.711.7Patch availableCNA
ApplemacOSbefore 12.612.6Patch availableCNA
ApplewatchOSbefore 9.69.6Patch availableCNA
  • tvOS VendorApple Affected before 16.6 Fixed in 16.6 Patch available CNA
  • iOS and iPadOS VendorApple Affected before 16.6 Fixed in 16.6 Patch available CNA
  • macOS VendorApple Affected before 13.5 Fixed in 13.5 Patch available CNA
  • iOS and iPadOS VendorApple Affected before 15.7 Fixed in 15.7 Patch available CNA
  • macOS VendorApple Affected before 11.7 Fixed in 11.7 Patch available CNA
  • macOS VendorApple Affected before 12.6 Fixed in 12.6 Patch available CNA
  • watchOS VendorApple Affected before 9.6 Fixed in 9.6 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 5

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:apple:ipados:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 15.7.8; 16.0 to before 16.6VulnerableApple
cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 15.7.8; 16.0 to before 16.6VulnerableApple
cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.0 to before 11.7.9; 12.0.0 to before 12.6.8; 13.0 to before 13.5VulnerableApple
cpe:2.3:o:apple:tvos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 16.6VulnerableApple
cpe:2.3:o:apple:watchos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 9.6VulnerableApple
  • cpe:2.3:o:apple:ipados:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 15.7.8; 16.0 to before 16.6 Vulnerable ·Apple
  • cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 15.7.8; 16.0 to before 16.6 Vulnerable ·Apple
  • cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 to before 11.7.9; 12.0.0 to before 12.6.8; 13.0 to before 13.5 Vulnerable ·Apple
  • cpe:2.3:o:apple:tvos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 16.6 Vulnerable ·Apple
  • cpe:2.3:o:apple:watchos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 9.6 Vulnerable ·Apple

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA tvOS (Apple) Fixed in 16.6
  • Fix · CNA iOS and iPadOS (Apple) Fixed in 16.6
  • Fix · CNA macOS (Apple) Fixed in 13.5
  • Fix · CNA iOS and iPadOS (Apple) Fixed in 15.7
  • Fix · CNA macOS (Apple) Fixed in 11.7
  • Fix · CNA macOS (Apple) Fixed in 12.6
  • Fix · CNA watchOS (Apple) Fixed in 9.6

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

  • Release ·

    Apple macOS 13.5

    11 records Highest priority Priority CRITICAL 1 CRITICAL, 1 HIGH, 2 MEDIUM, 7 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2023-19062 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority CRITICAL 97
    • TI-2023-19966 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 41
    • TI-2023-19969 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 40
    Show all 11 records →
  • Release ·

    Apple iOS and iPadOS 16.6

    9 records Highest priority Priority CRITICAL 1 CRITICAL, 1 HIGH, 2 MEDIUM, 5 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2023-19062 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority CRITICAL 97
    • TI-2023-19966 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 41
    • TI-2023-19969 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 40
    Show all 9 records →
Show 3 more groups
  • Release ·

    Apple tvOS, watchOS 16.6, 9.6

    6 records Highest priority Priority CRITICAL 1 CRITICAL, 1 HIGH, 1 MEDIUM, 3 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2023-19062 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority CRITICAL 97
    • TI-2023-19966 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 41
    • TI-2023-15720 Use after free in Apple tvOSPriority LOW 36
    Show all 6 records →
  • Release ·

    Apple macOS 11.7, 12.6

    5 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 1 HIGH, 4 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2023-18646 Apple macOS: Processing a file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code…Priority LOW 36
    • TI-2023-15720 Use after free in Apple tvOSPriority LOW 36
    • TI-2023-15671 Use after free in Apple tvOSPriority LOW 36
    Show all 5 records →
  • Release ·

    Apple iOS and iPadOS 15.7

    5 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 1 HIGH, 2 MEDIUM, 2 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2023-19966 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 41
    • TI-2023-19969 Apple Safari: Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code executionPriority MEDIUM 40
    • TI-2023-15720 Use after free in Apple tvOSPriority LOW 36
    Show all 5 records →

Timeline

  1. 2023-07-26 Added to CISA KEV
  2. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-38606
  3. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8fwg-w59v-g942

References

Advisory 7

  • TI-2025-28008 Out-of-bounds write in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
  • TI-2025-22441 Apple iOS and iPadOS: An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-22440 Memory corruption in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2025-17951 Out-of-bounds write in Apple Safari KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
  • TI-2025-17847 Use after free in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 10.0
  • TI-2022-06854 Out-of-bounds write in Apple iOS and iPadOS KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
See all 2382 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences