CVE-2020-9871
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 write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.6, macOS Catalina 10.15.6, tvOS 13.4.8, watchOS 6.2.8, iTunes 12.10.8 for Windows, iCloud for Windows 11.3, iCloud for Windows 7.20. 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 write vulnerability in image processing within multiple Apple products (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, iTunes, iCloud for Windows). The vulnerability lacks proper bounds checking when parsing maliciously crafted images, allowing memory corruption that can lead to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the parsing process.
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< 7.20>= 10.0, < 11.3< 12.10.8< 13.6< 13.6< 10.15.6< 13.4.8< 6.2.8CVSS 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.
-
Identify installed Apple productsOn Windows, check Programs and Features for iTunes and iCloud for Windows. On macOS, check /Applications folder and System Information > Software for built-in Apple OS components.Affected if Any of the following Apple software is installed: iTunes, iCloud for Windows, or the system runs iOS/iPadOS/tvOS/watchOS/macOS
-
Check iTunes version on WindowsOpen iTunes > Help > About iTunes, or right-click iTunes in Programs and Features and view the Version column.Affected if Version is earlier than 12.10.8
-
Check iCloud for Windows versionOpen iCloud > Settings > About, or check the version in Programs and Features.Affected if Version is earlier than 7.20, or between 10.0.0 and 11.3.0 (excluding 11.3)
-
Check mobile device iOS/iPadOS versionOn the device, go to Settings > General > About and note the Version number.Affected if Version is earlier than 13.6 for iOS or iPadOS
-
Check macOS versionClick Apple menu > About This Mac. The version number appears below the macOS name.Affected if Version is earlier than 10.15.6 (Catalina) or the build number is below the 19G73 security update
If any installed Apple product matches an affected version range above, the environment is vulnerable to CVE-2020-9871.
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 data6.2.87.2010.15.6
Apply the vendor-supplied security updates: iOS 13.6+, iPadOS 13.6+, macOS 10.15.6+, tvOS 13.4.8+, watchOS 6.2.8+, iTunes 12.10.8+, iCloud for Windows 11.3+/7.20+. No further implementation work required beyond patch deployment.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,200.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-9871 — 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-2020-9871 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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