Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2023-41992) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTApple iOS devices prior to 16.7, iPadOS prior to 16.7, macOS Monterey prior to 12.7, and macOS Ventura prior to 13.6
A local attacker can bypass security boundaries to elevate privileges to kernel level, enabling arbitrary code execution and full device compromise; actively exploited in the wild
Immediately apply the official security updates to iOS/iPadOS 16.7, macOS Monterey 12.7, macOS Ventura 13.6, or later versions
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the official security updates provided by Apple immediately. For enterprise macOS environments, administrators can force software updates remotely via the command-line interface:
# List all available software updates
softwareupdate -l
# Download and install the latest macOS security updates and restart automatically
sudo softwareupdate -i -a --restart2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, enable 'Lockdown Mode' on high-risk devices to reduce the attack surface. Additionally, enforce MDM policies to restrict network access for unpatched devices.
# Force check and apply MDM configuration profiles on macOS
sudo profiles -I -F /path/to/security_profile.mobileconfig3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Run the following shell script on macOS endpoints to verify the current operating system version and determine vulnerability status:
#!/bin/bash
# Check macOS version and build metadata
OS_VER=$(sw_vers -productVersion)
BUILD_VER=$(sw_vers -buildVersion)
echo 'Detected macOS Version: '$OS_VER
echo 'Detected Build Version: '$BUILD_VER
# Simple check for macOS Ventura (13.x) vulnerability status
if [[ '$OS_VER' =~ ^13\. ]]; then
MINOR_VER=$(echo '$OS_VER' | cut -d'.' -f2)
if [ '$MINOR_VER' -lt 6 ]; then
echo '[ALERT] System is vulnerable to CVE-2023-41992. Upgrade required.'
else
echo '[INFO] System is patched against CVE-2023-41992.'
fi
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
CVE-2023-41992 is a local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability within the Apple operating system kernel and system frameworks. The root cause lies in insufficient input validation and improper exception handling (CWE-754). This flaw allows a local attacker with limited privileges to bypass operating system security boundaries and execute arbitrary code with elevated kernel-level privileges. Apple has addressed this issue by implementing improved state checks and validation mechanisms.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must first establish local execution capabilities on the target device, typically through a sandboxed application or by chaining another remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability. Once local access is obtained, the attacker sends crafted inputs or triggers specific system calls to the vulnerable kernel interface. Due to the lack of rigorous validation, the kernel processes these inputs incorrectly, leading to memory corruption or control flow hijacking, which elevates the attacker's process privileges to Root/Kernel. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in targeted attacks.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability grants the attacker complete control over the affected Apple device. In an enterprise environment, this compromises corporate mobile devices and macOS workstations. Attackers can bypass Mobile Device Management (MDM) controls, access sensitive corporate data, extract credentials from the keychain, and potentially use the compromised device as a pivot point to infiltrate the internal corporate network.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.7, iOS 16.7 and iPadOS 16.7, macOS Ventura 13.6. A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2023-41992)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2023-41992 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2023-41992 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 9.5%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2023-41992?
Primary impacted vendors include apple across ios, ipados, macos. Scope summary: iOS versions prior to 16.7, iPadOS versions prior to 16.7, macOS Monterey versions prior to 12.7, and macOS Ventura versions prior to 13.6
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2023-41992 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official security updates to iOS/iPadOS 16.7, macOS Monterey 12.7, macOS Ventura 13.6, or later versions Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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