CVE-2023-42866 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Apple’s WebKit engine, which could allow arbitrary code execution when processing malicious web content. This issue affects multiple Apple products and has been addressed in recent security updates.
Vulnerability Summary
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CVE ID: CVE-2023-42866
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Severity: CriticalTenable®+2Apple Support+2NVD+2
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Attack Vector: Network
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Privileges Required: None
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User Interaction: Required
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Impact: Arbitrary code executionNVD+4Apple Support+4Apple Support+4
Affected Products
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macOS Ventura: Versions before 13.5Tenable®+3NVD+3CVE+3
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iOS: Versions before 16.6NVD+4Tenable®+4CVE+4
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iPadOS: Versions before 16.6
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tvOS: Versions before 16.6
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watchOS: Versions before 9.6CVE
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Safari: Versions before 16.6Apple Support+1NVD+1
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the WebKit engine’s memory handling mechanisms. An attacker can craft a malicious web page that, when visited by a user, triggers memory corruption in the browser’s rendering process. This corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing the attacker to run malicious code on the affected device.NVD
No phone number, email, or personal info required.
Conceptual Example Code
While specific exploit code is not publicly available, a conceptual example of how such an attack might be structured is as follows:
This code represents a generic approach to exploiting memory corruption vulnerabilities by manipulating buffers and triggering vulnerable functions.CyberSecurity Help
Potential Risks
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Execution of arbitrary code on the affected deviceCyberSecurity Help
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Potential full system compromiseNVD+5Apple Support+5CyberSecurity Help+5
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Unauthorized access to sensitive user data
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Propagation of malware or further exploitation
Mitigation Recommendations
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Update to the latest versions of affected Apple products:
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macOS Ventura 13.5Apple Support+2CVE+2NVD+2
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iOS 16.6Tenable®+3CVE+3NVD+3
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iPadOS 16.6CyberSecurity Help+2CVE+2NVD+2
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tvOS 16.6NVD
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watchOS 9.6NVD+2CVE+2NVD+2
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Safari 16.6CVE+1NVD+1
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Avoid visiting untrusted websites or clicking on suspicious links
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Enable automatic updates to ensure timely patching of vulnerabilities
Conclusion
CVE-2023-42866 highlights the importance of promptly applying security updates to protect against critical vulnerabilities. Users and administrators should ensure their Apple devices are updated to the latest versions to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability.
References
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National Vulnerability Database: CVE-2023-42866
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Apple Security Updates: HT213841