CVE-2023-32424VulnerabilityPublished 10 Jan 2024Updated 3 Jun 2025

CVE-2023-32424: Apple iOS and iPadOS · An attacker that has already achieved kernel code execution may be able to bypass kernel memory

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium : upgrade to 16.4 when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

5.5Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 10% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 16.4

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: High
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Local: The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker’s path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: Required: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the impacted component.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 10 Jan 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Upgrade Apple iOS and iPadOS to 16.4.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Apple iOS and iPadOS	Affected <16.4	Fixed in 16.4

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2023-32424, European organizations should prioritize updating all iOS and iPadOS devices to version 16.4 or later, as Apple has addressed the vulnerability through improved memory handling in these releases. Organizations should enforce mobile device management (MDM) policies that mandate timely OS updates and patch compliance. Additionally, restricting physical access to devices and limiting the installation of untrusted applications can reduce the risk of attackers achieving initial kernel code execution. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activity may help detect exploitation attempts. User training to avoid social engineering or phishing attacks that could lead to initial compromise is also important, given the requirement for user interaction. For high-security environments, consider implementing hardware-based security features such as Apple’s Secure Enclave and enabling all available security controls to harden devices. Regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on mobile device security can help identify potential attack vectors that could lead to kernel code execution.

Description

The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4. An attacker that has already achieved kernel code execution may be able to bypass kernel memory mitigations.

Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-32424 is primarily relevant to those using Apple iOS and iPadOS devices, especially in environments where devices are used for sensitive operations or contain critical data. Since the vulnerability requires prior kernel code execution, it is unlikely to be the initial attack vector but could be leveraged in multi-stage attacks to maintain persistence or evade detection on compromised devices. This could affect organizations relying on iPhones or iPads for secure communications, mobile workforce operations, or sensitive data access. The integrity of kernel memory is critical for device security; bypassing mitigations could allow attackers to manipulate kernel behavior, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data manipulation. However, the lack of confidentiality and availability impact reduces the risk of data leakage or denial of service directly from this vulnerability. Given the medium severity and the requirement for local access and user interaction, the threat is more relevant in targeted attacks or insider threat scenarios rather than widespread remote exploitation. European organizations in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that use Apple mobile devices should be particularly attentive to this vulnerability.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 4 Jul 2025, 14:25 UTC

Technical details

References

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