CVE-2023-32435: Memory Corruption Issue in Various Apple Systems Addressed with Improved State Management

A major vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-32435, has been discovered and addressed in macOS Ventura 13.3, Safari 16.4, iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4, and iOS 15.7.7 and iPadOS 15.7.7. This memory corruption issue puts users at risk by allowing potential arbitrary code execution when processing web content. Apple has acknowledged reports indicating that this vulnerability might have been actively exploited in version of iOS released before iOS 15.7.

An example of the code involving the memory corruption issue is as follows

// Function affected by the memory corruption vulnerability

void vulnerable_function(char *user_input) {
    int buf[5];
    memcpy(buf, user_input, strlen(user_input) * sizeof(int));
}

int main() {
    // User input processing
    char user_input[256];
    scanf("%s", user_input);

    // Calling the vulnerable function
    vulnerable_function(user_input);

return ;
}

Exploit Details

The vulnerability arises from improper state management, allowing attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code on the affected system. This could be leveraged in multiple ways, including sending a specifically crafted payload to an unsuspecting victim. Following the exploitation, an attacker could potentially gain control of the victim's device, exfiltrate personal information, or engage in other malicious activities.

Original References

1. Apple Security Updates for macOS, iOS, and iPad OS
2. CVE-2023-32435 Security Advisory

Mitigation

Apple has addressed this memory corruption issue with improved state management in the following software updates:

iOS 15.7.7 and iPadOS 15.7.7

Users are strongly encouraged to update their Apple devices to the latest software versions to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-32435. Additionally, users should exercise caution while interacting with suspicious web content, emails, messages, or downloads to minimize the chances of being affected by possible exploits.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-32435 is a critical vulnerability discovered in various Apple systems. Addressing the memory corruption issue requires improved state management, which is included in the latest macOS, Safari, iOS, and iPadOS updates. Users should ensure that their devices are always updated to the latest software versions and be cautious about interacting with suspicious content to protect against exploitation.

Timeline

Published on: 06/23/2023 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 07/27/2023 04:15:00 UTC