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CVE-2023-42866VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2023-42866: Apple Safari · Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

Affects Apple SafariSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.8 High · fixed in 13.5 : patch Apple Safari soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
8.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.7% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 55% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 13.5
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 10 Jan 2024

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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.

What to do

AI-suggested

European organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the security updates released by Apple in macOS Ventura 13.5, iOS 16.6, iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, Safari 16.6, and watchOS 9.6. Beyond patching, organizations should implement network-level protections such as web filtering to block access to known malicious domains and URLs. User awareness training should emphasize the risks of clicking on unsolicited or suspicious links, especially in emails or messaging platforms. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to code execution in Safari can help identify exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider restricting the use of Safari to trusted users or environments until patches are applied. Regular audits of Apple device inventories and ensuring compliance with patch management policies are essential. Finally, monitoring threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploit activity related to CVE-2023-42866 will help maintain situational awareness.

Description

The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.5, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, Safari 16.6, watchOS 9.6. Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.

References

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