CVE-2017-13903
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 11.2.1 is affected. tvOS before 11.2.1 is affected. The issue involves the "HomeKit" component. It allows remote attackers to modify the application state by leveraging incorrect message handling, as demonstrated by use of an Apple Watch to obtain an encryption key and unlock a door.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA logical vulnerability in HomeKit's message handling allows remote attackers to modify application state, specifically demonstrated by obtaining an encryption key via an Apple Watch to unlock doors. The issue stems from incorrect handling of messages that should require proper authentication or encryption validation.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 11.2.1< 11.2.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check the iOS version on the deviceOn the iOS device, go to Settings > General > About and look at the 'Version' field. Alternatively, connect the device to a computer with iTunes or Finder and check the device summary page for the iOS version.Affected if The version number is lower than 11.2.1 (for example, 11.2, 11.1.2, 11.0, etc.)
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Check the tvOS version on the Apple TVOn the Apple TV, go to Settings > General > About and look at the tvOS version number displayed.Affected if The version number is lower than 11.2.1 (for example, 11.2, 11.1, 11.0, etc.)
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Determine if HomeKit is enabled on the iOS deviceOpen the Home app on the iOS device. If any rooms, accessories, or automations are configured, HomeKit is active. Alternatively, check Settings > Home for configured HomeKit homes.Affected if HomeKit has homes, rooms, or accessories configured, meaning the vulnerable message handling code is in active use
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Identify connected HomeKit accessoriesIn the Home app, tap on a home and scroll through the list of accessories (locks, lights, thermostats, etc.). Check for lock accessories specifically, as the CVE demonstration involved unlocking doors.Affected if There are HomeKit accessories, particularly door lock accessories, paired with the device
The device is affected if it runs iOS or tvOS version 11.2 or lower AND has HomeKit actively configured with paired accessories.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data11.2.1
Update iOS and tvOS devices to version 11.2.1 or later to patch the HomeKit vulnerability. Ensure all HomeKit accessories are running current firmware.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-13903 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-13903 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data