High

Kernel use-after-free in Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS

IdentifiersCVE-2023-32433CWE-416· Use After Free

CVE-2023-32433 is a use-after-free vulnerability in Apple operating systems. Apple states that the issue was addressed with improved memory management and that successful exploitation may allow an application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms prior to the fixed releases, including macOS Monterey 12.6.8, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, iOS 15.7.8, iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6, iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, and watchOS 9.6. Specific vulnerable functions or components are 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 can result in arbitrary code execution in kernel context. This would give the attacker code execution at the highest privilege level of the operating system, enabling full device compromise, bypass of application isolation boundaries, access to sensitive system and user data, installation of persistent components, and the ability to alter kernel state or security controls.

Mitigation

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

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by limiting installation and execution of untrusted applications, enforcing application allowlisting or MDM controls where available, and restricting local code execution opportunities on affected devices. Because the issue is exploitable by an app and leads to kernel-level code execution, there is no complete mitigation short of applying the security updates.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the vendor-provided updates that fix CVE-2023-32433. Apple indicates the issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.8, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, iOS 15.7.8, iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6, iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, and watchOS 9.6. Systems should be upgraded to these versions or later.

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.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

2 SOURCESView more in app

apple supportNews

Jan 25, 2026

About the security content of iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 - Apple Support

Unknown (CVE referenced without technical description in the provided content).

apple supportNews

Jan 19, 2026

Informazioni sui contenuti di sicurezza di iOS 16.6 e iPadOS 16.6 - Supporto Apple (IT)

Vulnerabilità Apple (dettagli tecnici non specificati nel testo) corretta tramite aggiornamento di sicurezza.

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.

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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