CVE-2023-41075
📋 TL;DR
A type confusion vulnerability in Apple operating systems allows malicious applications to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This affects macOS Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, iOS, and iPadOS. Attackers could gain complete system control on unpatched devices.
💻 Affected Systems
- macOS
- iOS
- iPadOS
📦 What is this software?
Ipados by Apple
Ipados by Apple
Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →Macos by Apple
macOS is Apple's desktop and laptop operating system powering Mac computers used by millions of professionals, developers, creative professionals, and enterprise users worldwide. Built on a Unix foundation with the Darwin kernel and modern Cocoa frameworks, macOS delivers a seamless ecosystem integr...
Learn more about Macos →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with kernel-level privileges, allowing installation of persistent malware, data theft, and device takeover.
Likely Case
Malicious apps bypassing sandbox restrictions to gain elevated privileges and perform unauthorized actions.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are patched and app installation is restricted to App Store only.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user to install and run a malicious application. No public exploit code is known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, macOS Monterey 12.6.4, macOS Ventura 13.3, iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, iOS 15.7.4, iPadOS 15.7.4
Vendor Advisory: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213670
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open System Settings/Preferences. 2. Go to General > Software Update. 3. Install available updates. 4. Restart device when prompted.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict App Installation
allConfigure devices to only allow App Store applications, preventing installation of malicious third-party apps.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user privileges and application installation capabilities
- Implement application allowlisting to prevent unauthorized apps from running
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check system version against affected versions list. On macOS: System Settings > General > About. On iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About.Check Version:
macOS: sw_vers -productVersion. iOS/iPadOS: Settings > General > About > Version.Verify Fix Applied:
Verify system version matches or exceeds patched versions listed in fix_official.patch_version.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected kernel extensions loading
- Processes running with unexpected privileges
- System integrity protection (SIP) violations
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from system processes
- DNS requests to suspicious domains from kernel processes
SIEM Query:
process.parent.name:kernel AND process.integrity_level:system AND process.name NOT IN (expected_system_processes)🔗 References
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213670
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213673
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213675
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213676
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213677
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213670
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213673
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213675
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213676
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213677
