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CVE-2023-42908VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2023-42908: Apple macOS · Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High : upgrade to 14.2 soon.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 23% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 14.2
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 2026-10-25.

What to do

Upgrade Apple macOS to 14.2.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Apple macOSAffected
  • <14.2
Fixed in
  • 14.2

AI-suggested

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately update all macOS devices to version Sonoma 14.2 or later to apply the official patch addressing this vulnerability. 2) Enforce strict policies restricting the processing of files from untrusted or unknown sources, including email attachments and downloads, to reduce the risk of malicious file execution. 3) Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying memory corruption behaviors and anomalous application crashes. 4) Conduct user awareness training focused on recognizing and avoiding suspicious files and social engineering tactics that could lead to exploitation. 5) Utilize application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the privileges and capabilities of applications that process external files. 6) Regularly audit and monitor macOS systems for unusual activity or crashes that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to minimize operational impact in case of successful exploitation.

Description

Multiple memory corruption issues were addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.2. Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.

References

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