CVE-2023-32437
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 · uneditedThe issue was addressed with improvements to the file handling protocol. This issue is fixed in iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6. An app may be able to break out of its sandbox.
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 confidenceThis is a sandbox escape vulnerability in iOS/iPadOS where a malicious app could break out of its sandbox through improved file handling protocol exploitation. The vulnerability was discovered in the file handling mechanism and was patched in iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6.
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< 16.6< 16.6CVSS 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
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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 iOS version on the deviceGo to Settings > General > About on the iOS device and locate the 'Version' field, or use Xcode to check the device's iOS versionAffected if The version displayed is less than 16.6 (for example, 16.5.x, 16.4.x, or earlier)
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Check iPadOS version on the deviceGo to Settings > General > About on the iPad device and locate the 'Version' field, or use Xcode to check the device's iPadOS versionAffected if The version displayed is less than 16.6 (for example, 16.5.x, 16.4.x, or earlier)
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Verify the file handling mechanism is accessibleThis vulnerability exploits the file handling protocol in iOS/iPadOS. The file handling mechanism is a core component present by default on all iOS/iPadOS devices. No specific configuration check is needed as this is a built-in system componentAffected if The device is running a vulnerable iOS/iPadOS version (below 16.6) and has the standard iOS file handling system enabled (which is the default state)
The device is affected if it is running iOS or iPadOS version 16.5.x or earlier, since the vulnerability was patched in version 16.6.
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 · scoped16.6
Update affected iOS devices to version 16.6 or later to remediate this sandbox escape vulnerability.
iOS 16.6 / iPadOS 16.6
- Back up your iPhone or iPad to iCloud or your computer before updating
- Ensure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and connected to power
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update on your device
- Locate iOS 16.6 or iPadOS 16.6 in the available updates
- Tap 'Download and Install' to download the update
- Enter your passcode if prompted and confirm the installation
- Allow the device to restart and complete the installation process
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 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 $1,696.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-32437 — 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-2023-32437 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