VulnerabilityPublished 21 Feb 2024Updated 4 Nov 2025

CVE-2023-42953: Apple tvOS · An app may be able to access sensitive user data

Affects Apple tvOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium : upgrade to 17.1 when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

5.5Medium

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

EPSS: 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 6% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 17.1

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

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: None
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: Low: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
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: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within 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 21 Feb 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 26 Oct 2026.

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 or the CVSS exploit maturity 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 tvOS to 17.1.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Apple tvOS	Affected <17.1	Fixed in 17.1

AI-suggested

Ensure all Apple devices, including Apple TVs, Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, are updated to the fixed OS versions: tvOS 17.1, watchOS 10.1, macOS Sonoma 14.1, iOS 17.1, and iPadOS 17.1.
Implement strict app installation policies to restrict the installation of untrusted or unsigned apps, especially on Apple TVs and devices used in corporate environments.
Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce OS updates and app restrictions across all managed Apple devices.
Monitor device usage and app permissions regularly to detect any unusual access patterns or unauthorized apps.
Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted apps and the importance of applying OS updates promptly.
For environments using Apple TVs in shared or public spaces, consider network segmentation and access controls to limit local access to trusted users only.
Review and audit privacy settings and app permissions on Apple devices to minimize unnecessary data exposure.
Maintain an inventory of Apple devices and their OS versions to ensure compliance with patching policies.

Description

A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in tvOS 17.1, watchOS 10.1, macOS Sonoma 14.1, iOS 17.1 and iPadOS 17.1. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.

Impact

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-42953 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on Apple devices running vulnerable versions of tvOS, watchOS, macOS, iOS, or iPadOS. This could affect organizations that deploy Apple TVs in meeting rooms, digital signage, or home office environments, as well as employees using Apple mobile devices and Macs. The confidentiality breach could expose personal or corporate information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the exposure of sensitive data could lead to reputational damage, regulatory fines, and loss of trust. The requirement for local access and limited privileges reduces the risk of remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or risks from compromised apps. Organizations with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies or those that allow installation of third-party apps on Apple devices are at increased risk. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation attempts.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…

Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 4 Nov 2025, 19:56 UTC

Technical details

References

Community reviews

Related threats