CVE-2023-28180 is a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability identified in Apple macOS, fixed in version Ventura 13.3. The flaw arises from improper memory handling that can be triggered by a user positioned in a privileged network role, such as a man-in-the-middle or an insider with elevated network access. This attacker can send specially crafted network traffic to the vulnerable macOS system, causing it to crash or become unresponsive, thereby denying legitimate users access to services or resources. The vulnerability does not allow for data disclosure or modification, focusing solely on availability disruption. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 (medium severity) reflects that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), but does require privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), and the impact is limited to availability (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No public exploits have been reported, but the vulnerability’s presence in a widely used OS like macOS makes it a concern for environments where uptime and service continuity are critical. The patch released by Apple improves memory handling to prevent the triggering of this DoS condition.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-28180 is service disruption due to denial-of-service conditions on macOS systems. Organizations relying on macOS for critical operations, network services, or endpoint management could experience downtime or degraded performance if exploited. This could affect sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and technology where macOS devices are prevalent. Although the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, availability interruptions can lead to operational delays, loss of productivity, and potential reputational damage. In network environments where privileged network positions might be accessible to attackers (e.g., poorly segmented networks or insider threats), the risk is elevated. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for timely patching, especially in sensitive or high-availability contexts.

European organizations should ensure all macOS devices are updated to at least Ventura 13.3 or later to apply the fix for CVE-2023-28180. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit privileged network positions and reduce the risk of an attacker gaining the necessary access to exploit this vulnerability. Monitoring network traffic for unusual patterns or malformed packets targeting macOS systems can help detect attempted exploitation. Employ strict access controls and network-level authentication to prevent unauthorized users from obtaining privileged network positions. Additionally, organizations should implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying abnormal system behavior indicative of DoS attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can help identify exposure to this and similar vulnerabilities. Finally, maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling DoS incidents affecting macOS endpoints.