CVE-2023-40446: Apple iOS and iPadOS · Processing maliciously crafted input may lead to arbitrary code execution
Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High : upgrade to 16.7.2 soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 11:42 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 17% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 16.7.2
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 12 Dec 2023
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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Upgrade Apple iOS and iPadOS to 16.7.2.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Apple iOS and iPadOS | Affected
| Fixed in
|
AI-suggested
European organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates released by Apple (iOS 16.7.2, iOS 17.1, iPadOS 16.7.2, iPadOS 17.1, and macOS Monterey 12.7.1) across all managed Apple devices. Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce patch compliance and monitor device health. Conduct targeted user awareness campaigns emphasizing the risks of interacting with unsolicited links or files, especially from unknown sources, to reduce the likelihood of exploitation via social engineering. Employ network-level protections such as email filtering and web content scanning to block malicious payloads before reaching end users. For BYOD environments, enforce strict security policies requiring timely updates and consider restricting access to sensitive resources from unpatched devices. Additionally, monitor device logs and network traffic for unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Establish incident response plans that include procedures for compromised mobile devices to minimize impact and recovery time.
Description
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.7.1, iOS 16.7.2 and iPadOS 16.7.2, iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1. Processing maliciously crafted input may lead to arbitrary code execution in user-installed apps.
References
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213981 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213982 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213983 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213985 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213984 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213983 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213981 (opens in a new tab)