High

Apple Kernel Use-After-Free Privilege Escalation

IdentifiersCVE-2023-23514CWE-416· Use After Free

CVE-2023-23514 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Apple kernel. According to Apple, the issue was addressed through improved memory management. A successful exploit could allow a malicious or rogue application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability affects Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS prior to the patched releases. Publicly available information does not identify the specific vulnerable function or code path.

For your environment

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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 allows arbitrary code execution in kernel context. This gives an attacker the highest privileges on the affected device, enabling full compromise of the operating system, bypass of application sandbox boundaries, access to protected system resources, and the ability to install persistent components or otherwise take complete control of the device.

Mitigation

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

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure by restricting installation and execution of untrusted or unsanctioned applications, enforcing application allowlisting where available, limiting local code execution opportunities, and monitoring for suspicious app behavior indicative of privilege-escalation attempts. Because the described attack vector is a malicious app, enterprise controls around app distribution and device management may reduce risk until patches are deployed. No complete mitigation short of installing the security update is provided in the content.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the vendor-provided security updates that fix CVE-2023-23514. The content states the issue was fixed in iOS 16.3.1, iPadOS 16.3.1, macOS Ventura 13.2.1 and 13.3, macOS Monterey 12.6.4, and macOS Big Sur 11.7.5. Apple states the issue was resolved with improved memory management.

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

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 24, 2026

About the security content of iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1 - Apple Support

A kernel use-after-free vulnerability that could allow an application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges on affected iOS/iPadOS devices.

the hacker newsNews

Feb 14, 2023

Patch Now: Apple's iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari Under Attack with New Zero-Day Flaw

An Apple kernel use-after-free vulnerability that could allow a malicious/rogue app to execute code with highest (kernel) privileges.

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