CVE-2023-32379
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 buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.4. 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 · high confidenceA buffer overflow vulnerability in the macOS kernel allowed a malicious application to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level access. The issue was addressed through improved memory handling in the kernel, preventing privilege escalation attacks.
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>= 13.0, < 13.4CVSS 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
- 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 installed macOS versionOpen Terminal and run: sw_vers -productVersionAffected if The version displayed is 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, or 13.3 (any version >= 13.0 and < 13.4)
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Confirm macOS name and buildRun: sw_vers and note the product name (should be macOS Ventura)Affected if Running macOS Ventura 13.x in the 13.0-13.3 range
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Verify kernel extension status is not a mitigating factorThis vulnerability exists in the core kernel itself and does not require any specific kernel extension to be loaded. All users of affected versions are potentially vulnerable.Affected if The system is running any affected macOS version (13.0-13.3)
If the installed macOS version is 13.0, 13.1, 13.2, or 13.3, the environment is affected by this kernel buffer overflow vulnerability.
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 · scoped13.4
Update to macOS Ventura 13.4 or later. For developers maintaining kernel extensions or low-level code, audit for similar improper memory handling patterns that could lead to buffer overflows.
macOS Ventura 13.4 or later
- 1. Check the current macOS version by clicking the Apple menu > About This Mac
- 2. Back up your Mac using Time Machine or another backup solution before upgrading
- 3. Open System Settings > General > Software Update
- 4. If macOS Ventura 13.4 or later is available, click Update Now to download and install the update
- 5. Restart your Mac when prompted to complete the installation
- 6. Verify the update was successful by checking About This Mac again - it should show version 13.4 or later
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing1.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,200.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32379 — 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-2023-32379 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