CVE-2023-23528
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 bounds checking. This issue is fixed in tvOS 16.4, iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4. Processing a maliciously crafted Bluetooth packet may result in disclosure of process memory.
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 confidenceCVE-2023-23528 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Apple's Bluetooth stack on iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS. The vulnerability is triggered when processing a maliciously crafted Bluetooth packet, allowing an attacker to read process memory beyond allocated buffers. This is a memory disclosure vulnerability with CVSS 6.5 (MEDIUM).
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< 16.4< 16.4< 16.4CVSS 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
- Adjacent
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/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 or iPadOS versionOn the 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 information, or query via MDM/enterprise mobile management tools.Affected if The version displayed is earlier than 16.4 (for example, 16.3.1, 16.3, 15.x, etc.)
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Check the tvOS versionOn Apple TV, go to Settings > General > About > Version. Alternatively, check via Xcode or TV administration tools.Affected if The tvOS version is earlier than 16.4 (for example, 16.3.1, 16.3, 15.x, etc.)
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Verify Bluetooth is enabled on the deviceOn iOS/iPadOS, go to Settings > Bluetooth and confirm the toggle is switched on. On tvOS, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Alternatively, check via MDM device status reports.Affected if Bluetooth is currently enabled on the device
A device is affected if it runs iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS versions earlier than 16.4 AND has Bluetooth enabled, allowing a nearby attacker to trigger the out-of-bounds read via a malicious Bluetooth packet.
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 · scoped16.4
Apply the vendor-supplied patches by updating affected devices to iOS 16.4+, iPadOS 16.4+, or tvOS 16.4+. Organizations should inventory Bluetooth-enabled Apple devices and deploy updates via MDM or user notification.
iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4
- Back up your device data using iCloud or your computer
- Connect your device to power and Wi-Fi
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update
- Download and install iOS 16.4 (iPhone), iPadOS 16.4 (iPad), or tvOS 16.4 (Apple TV)
- Restart the device after the update completes
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-23528 — 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-2023-23528 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