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Buffer Overflow in Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS Kernel

IdentifiersCVE-2023-38590CWE-120· Buffer Copy without Checking Size…

CVE-2023-38590 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in Apple platforms that was addressed through improved memory handling. According to the provided Apple advisory content, a remote user may be able to trigger the flaw and cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory. The issue affects multiple Apple operating systems prior to the fixed releases, including watchOS 9.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.6.8, macOS Ventura 13.5, tvOS 16.6, iOS 15.7.8, iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6, and iPadOS 16.6. The specific vulnerable function or component is not identified in the provided content.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation may allow a remote attacker to cause a denial of service by triggering unexpected system termination. The advisory also states that kernel memory corruption is possible, which increases the severity because corruption in kernel memory can destabilize the operating system and may create conditions for more serious exploitation, although the provided content does not confirm arbitrary code execution for this CVE.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Where immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure to remote attack surfaces that process untrusted input, especially network-reachable services and content from untrusted remote sources. Limit device exposure to untrusted networks and services until updates can be applied. No specific vendor mitigation beyond updating is provided in the supplied content.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the vendor-provided updates that fix the issue: watchOS 9.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Monterey 12.6.8, macOS Ventura 13.5, tvOS 16.6, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, or iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, depending on platform and supported branch. Apple states the issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
AppleIpadosoperating_system
AppleIphone Osoperating_system
AppleMacosoperating_system
AppleTvosoperating_system
AppleWatchosoperating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.
Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.