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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2023-42899: Apple iOS and iPadOS · Processing an image may lead to arbitrary code execution

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOSSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · fixed in 14.2 : patch Apple iOS and iPadOS soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:12 UTC

Severity
High

Rated High by the CNA (apple) · No CVSS score from NVD or the CNA

EPSS
0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 37% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 14.2

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 12 Dec 2023

  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 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

AI-suggested

Apply the official Apple updates that address this vulnerability. The issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.2, iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, watchOS 10.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.3, tvOS 17.2, iOS 16.7.3, iPadOS 16.7.3, and macOS Monterey 12.7.2. Users and administrators should ensure devices are updated to these versions or later to mitigate the risk.

Description

CVE-2023-42899 is a vulnerability in Apple iOS and iPadOS where processing a specially crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution. The issue was addressed by Apple through improved memory handling. Fixes have been released in multiple Apple operating system versions including iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, and several macOS and watchOS updates.

References

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