CVE-2023-27946
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 macOS Ventura 13.3, iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4, macOS Monterey 12.6.4, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5. Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination or 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 confidenceThis is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Apple's macOS, iOS, and iPadOS operating systems. The vulnerability exists in file processing components where insufficient bounds checking allows reading beyond allocated memory buffers. Processing a maliciously crafted file can trigger the vulnerability, leading to app termination or potentially arbitrary 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< 15.7.4< 15.7.4>= 11.0, < 11.7.5>= 12.0, < 12.6.4>= 13.0, < 13.3CVSS 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 macOS version on the systemRun 'sw_vers' in Terminal or open System Settings > General > About to view the macOS versionAffected if The version is 11.0 to 11.7.4, 12.0 to 12.6.3, or 13.0 to 13.2.x (any version in the ranges >= 11.0 and < 11.7.5, >= 12.0 and < 12.6.4, or >= 13.0 and < 13.3)
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Check iOS or iPadOS version on mobile devicesOpen Settings > General > About on the iPhone or iPad and note the version numberAffected if The version is below 15.7.4 (any version < 15.7.4)
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Identify macOS apps that process untrusted filesReview installed applications that handle files from external or untrusted sources, such as document viewers, media players, image editors, or browsersAffected if Any application that processes files is running on an affected OS version, as the vulnerability resides in OS file processing components
A system is affected if it runs macOS 11.0-11.7.4, 12.0-12.6.3, 13.0-13.2.x, or iOS/iPadOS versions prior to 15.7.4 and processes untrusted files using built-in or third-party applications.
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 · scoped11.7.512.6.413.3
Apply the available Apple security updates (macOS Ventura 13.3+, Monterey 12.6.4+, Big Sur 11.7.5+ or iOS/iPadOS 15.7.4+) to all affected devices. Prioritize systems that process untrusted files.
iOS 15.7.4+ | iPadOS 15.7.4+ | macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 | macOS Monterey 12.6.4 | macOS Ventura 13.3
- Identify the current iOS, iPadOS, or macOS version on the affected device
- For iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install iOS/iPadOS 15.7.4 or later
- For macOS: Open System Settings (or System Preferences) > General > Software Update and install the appropriate fixed version for the macOS release
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
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-27946 — 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-2023-27946 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
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