CVE-2023-32433 - Use-After-Free Vulnerability in macOS, iOS, and iPadOS Addressed with Improved Memory Management

Hello, all! Today, we're going to talk about an important security update, identified as CVE-2023-32433, that you should be aware of. This update addresses a use-after-free issue, which could potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This issue has been fixed in several Apple products, including macOS Monterey 12.6.8, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, and watchOS 9.6.

What is use-after-free?

A use-after-free vulnerability occurs when a pointer to a section of memory is still in use after it has been freed. This can lead to unexpected behavior, including crashes, data corruption, or, in this case, arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges.

Original References

You can find the original references, including details of the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) and the updates where the issue was fixed, in the following links:

- CVE-2023-32433
- Apple Security Update

Exploit Details

The use-after-free vulnerability in this case impacts macOS, iOS, and iPadOS systems. While the details of the exploit itself are not publicly disclosed, it is known that an attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a malicious application. When the affected Apple system runs the malicious application, it may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, giving the attacker control over the system.

The vulnerable code may look like the following

void VulnerableFunction() {
  // Allocate memory for the pointer
  int* ptr = (int*) malloc(sizeof(int));
  
  // Use the pointer in some way
  *ptr = 42;
  
  // Free the memory
  free(ptr);
  
  // Attempt to use the pointer again after freeing it
  *ptr = 8; // <- Use-after-free vulnerability
}

How to Protect Yourself

Apple has released security updates for several of its products to address this use-after-free issue. To protect your devices, make sure to update them to the following versions:

To update your devices, follow the instructions provided by Apple

- How to update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
- How to update macOS

It's essential to keep your devices up-to-date to ensure that you are protected from known security vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-32433. Stay safe and happy browsing!

Timeline

Published on: 07/27/2023 00:15:14 UTC
Last modified on: 08/02/2023 00:43:07 UTC