CVE-2021-30742
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 · uneditedA memory consumption issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5. Processing a maliciously crafted audio file 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 · moderate confidenceA memory handling vulnerability in iOS/iPadOS audio file processing allows arbitrary code execution when parsing a maliciously crafted audio file. The vulnerability stems from improper memory management during audio parsing that can be exploited to achieve code execution.
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< 14.5< 14.5CVSS 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 iOS or iPadOS versionOpen Settings > General > About on the device and locate the 'Version' field to see the installed OS version numberAffected if The displayed version number is lower than 14.5 (for example, 14.4.2, 14.4, 14.3, or earlier)
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Confirm device model is iOS or iPadOSVerify the device is an iPhone or iPad by checking Settings > General > About > Model Name, or by reviewing the product name in SettingsAffected if The device runs iOS or iPadOS (this CVE does not affect macOS, watchOS, or other Apple platforms)
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Verify audio file processing is in useThis vulnerability exists in the core audio parsing component and is triggered when the device processes audio files (such as playing or importing audio)Affected if Audio file processing features are accessible on the device, which is default on all iOS/iPadOS devices - the vulnerability applies to any audio file parsing operation
The device is affected if it runs any version of iOS or iPadOS earlier than 14.5, as the memory handling flaw in audio file parsing is present in those versions.
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.
dbcve · scoped14.5
Update affected iOS and iPadOS devices to version 14.5 or later to apply the memory handling fixes.
iOS 14.5 / iPadOS 14.5 or later
- Back up your iPhone or iPad data before updating
- Connect your device to power and Wi-Fi
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update
- Download and install iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 or later
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,224.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-30742 — 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-2021-30742 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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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