CVE-2020-3878
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 out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5, macOS Catalina 10.15.5, tvOS 13.4.5, watchOS 6.2.5, iTunes 12.10.7 for Windows, iCloud for Windows 11.2, iCloud for Windows 7.19. Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution.
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 confidenceAn out-of-bounds read vulnerability in image processing components across multiple Apple products (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, iTunes, iCloud for Windows) was addressed with improved input validation. Processing a maliciously crafted image can trigger the out-of-bounds read, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
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< 7.19>= 11.0, < 11.2< 12.10.7< 13.5< 13.5>= 10.13, < 10.13.6>= 10.14, < 10.14.6>= 10.15, < 10.15.5= 10.13.6= 10.14.6< 13.4.5< 6.2.5CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 iTunes version on WindowsOpen iTunes, go to Help > About iTunes to view the version number, or right-click iTunes in the Start menu and select Properties to see the installed versionAffected if Version is earlier than 12.10.7 (vulnerable) or version is unknown/unavailable (assume affected)
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Check iCloud for Windows versionOpen iCloud, click on the gear icon or menu to access About/Version information, or open Windows Settings > Apps > Apps & features and find iCloud to view the versionAffected if Version is earlier than 7.19 or earlier than 11.2 (for versions 11.0 and above)
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Check iOS version on iPhone/iPadGo to Settings > General > About on the iOS device and look at the Version fieldAffected if Version is earlier than 13.5 (for iOS or iPadOS)
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Check macOS versionClick the Apple menu > About This Mac to view the macOS version numberAffected if Version is 10.13.x (before 10.13.6), 10.14.x (before 10.14.6), or 10.15.x (before 10.15.5)
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Check tvOS or watchOS versionOn Apple TV go to Settings > General > About > Version; on Apple Watch open the Watch app on iPhone > General > AboutAffected if tvOS is earlier than 13.4.5 or watchOS is earlier than 6.2.5
A user is affected if they have any installed Apple product (iTunes, iCloud for Windows, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS) with a version number that falls within the vulnerable ranges listed in the CVE.
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 data6.2.57.1910.13.6
Apply the available vendor patches: iOS 13.5/iPadOS 13.5, macOS Catalina 10.15.5, tvOS 13.4.5, watchOS 6.2.5, iTunes 12.10.7 for Windows, iCloud for Windows 11.2/7.19. Until patched, avoid opening or processing untrusted images from unknown sources.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 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-2020-3878 — 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-2020-3878 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