dbcve.org
IpadosOperating system · Apple

CVE-2023-27949

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-05-08
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 12.6.4 / 13.3 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

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 · unedited
An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.3, macOS Monterey 12.6.4, iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4. 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 confidence

Out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Apple's operating systems (macOS and iOS/iPadOS) that exists when processing maliciously crafted files. The vulnerability can lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution due to insufficient input validation. Fixed in macOS Ventura 13.3, Monterey 12.6.4, iOS 15.7.4, and iPadOS 15.7.4 through improved input validation.

MitigationApply the vendor security updates (macOS Ventura 13.3+, macOS Monterey 12.6.4+, iOS/iPadOS 15.7.4+) to all affected devices. In enterprise environments, deploy patches via MDM or software distribution tools.

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
IpadosOperating system
Affected:< 15.7.4
Iphone OsOperating system
Affected:< 15.7.4
macOSOperating system
Affected:>= 12.0, < 12.6.4>= 13.0, < 13.3

CVSS 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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check macOS version on Mac computers
    Run 'sw_vers -productVersion' in Terminal or open System Settings > About This Mac to view the macOS version number
    Affected if Version is 12.x less than 12.6.4, or 13.x less than 13.3 (any version from 12.0 through 12.6.3 or 13.0 through 13.2.x)
  2. Check iOS version on iPhones
    Open Settings > General > About on the iOS device to view the iOS version, or query via MDM or Apple Configurator
    Affected if Version is less than 15.7.4 (any version from 15.0 through 15.7.3)
  3. Check iPadOS version on iPads
    Open Settings > General > About on the iPadOS device to view the version, or query via MDM or Apple Configurator
    Affected if Version is less than 15.7.4 (any version from 15.0 through 15.7.3)
  4. Verify OS patch status on managed devices
    Query device management solution (MDM such as Jamf, Microsoft Intune, or similar) for installed OS build numbers and compare to fixed builds: 22G90 (macOS 13.3), 21G200 (macOS 12.6.4), 19H224 (iOS/iPadOS 15.7.4)
    Affected if Device is running an OS build number lower than these fixed builds

A device is affected if it runs macOS 12.0-12.6.3, 13.0-13.2.x, iOS 15.0-15.7.3, or iPadOS 15.0-15.7.3 (any version below the 15.7.4, 12.6.4, or 13.3 security updates).

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 12.6.4 / 13.3 / 15.7.4 or later
Fixed in 12.6.413.315.7.4
Interim mitigation

Apply the vendor security updates (macOS Ventura 13.3+, macOS Monterey 12.6.4+, iOS/iPadOS 15.7.4+) to all affected devices. In enterprise environments, deploy patches via MDM or software distribution tools.

Recommended fix High confidence

iOS 15.7.4+ / iPadOS 15.7.4+ / macOS Monterey 12.6.4+ / macOS Ventura 13.3+

  1. Check current device iOS/iPadOS version by navigating to Settings > General > About on the device
  2. For iOS/iPadOS: Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and install iOS 15.7.4 or later (or iPadOS 15.7.4 or later)
  3. For macOS Monterey (12.x): Open System Settings > General > Software Update and install macOS Monterey 12.6.4 or later
  4. For macOS Ventura (13.x): Open System Settings > General > Software Update and install macOS Ventura 13.3 or later
  5. After update, verify the installed version matches or exceeds the fixed release
Caveat Apple point releases typically have minimal breaking changes; however, verify app compatibility with updated OS versions before deployment in enterprise environments

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Ipados Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-27949 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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.

What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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