CVE-2023-32378
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 use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.3, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, macOS Monterey 12.6.4. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
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 use-after-free vulnerability in macOS kernel allows a malicious application to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. The issue was addressed through improved memory management in the affected macOS versions.
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< 11.7.5>= 12.0.0, < 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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Determine installed macOS versionOpen Terminal and run: sw_vers -productVersionAffected if Version output is less than 11.7.5, OR between 12.0.0 and 12.6.3 inclusive, OR between 13.0 and 13.2.x inclusive
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Verify major macOS releaseRun: sw_vers -productVersion and note the first number (11, 12, or 13)Affected if Running Big Sur (11.x), Monterey (12.x), or Ventura (13.x) with version falling outside the patched ranges
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Check for security update installationRun: defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist LastRecommendedMajorOperatingSystemSoftwareUpdate OR check System Settings > General > About for the exact build versionAffected if Build version corresponds to an unpatched release (builds prior to 11.7.5, 12.6.4, or 13.3)
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Confirm kernel component presenceThis vulnerability is in the macOS kernel (XNU). No specific kernel module needs to be enabled for the flaw to exist; the use-after-free is present in core kernel code.Affected if Any unpatched macOS installation running the affected version ranges is potentially vulnerable
You are affected if your macOS version is 11.x below 11.7.5, 12.x below 12.6.4, or 13.x below 13.3.
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 appropriate macOS security update (Ventura 13.3, Big Sur 11.7.5, or Monterey 12.6.4) to patch the kernel use-after-free vulnerability and prevent privilege escalation.
macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 / macOS Monterey 12.6.4 / macOS Ventura 13.3 (depending on your current major version)
- Back up important data before performing any system update
- Open System Preferences (macOS 12 and earlier) or System Settings (macOS 13 and later)
- Navigate to Software Update or General > Software Update
- Check for available updates and install the appropriate fixed version: macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, macOS Monterey 12.6.4, or macOS Ventura 13.3
- Restart the system after the update completes to apply the security patch
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 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 $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32378 — 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-2023-32378 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