CVE-2023-38596 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2023
The issue was addressed with improved handling of protocols. This issue is fixed in tvOS 17, iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, macOS Sonoma 14. An app may fail to enforce App Transport Security.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-38596 represents a critical weakness in Apple's operating system implementations that affects multiple platform versions including iOS 17, tvOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma 14. This security flaw specifically relates to the improper handling of network protocols and undermines the fundamental security mechanisms designed to protect applications from man-in-the-middle attacks and data interception. The issue manifests when applications fail to properly enforce App Transport Security (ATS) policies, which are essential for maintaining secure communication channels between applications and web services. According to CWE-444, this vulnerability falls under the category of improper handling of protocol specifications, where the system fails to properly validate or enforce security requirements during protocol interactions. The weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to bypass security controls that should normally prevent applications from establishing insecure connections to remote servers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate protocol validation mechanisms within Apple's operating system security framework. When applications attempt to establish network connections, the system should enforce strict security policies that require secure transport mechanisms such as TLS 1.2 or higher, certificate pinning, and proper certificate validation. However, in affected versions, the protocol handling logic fails to properly validate these security requirements, allowing applications to connect to servers using outdated or insecure cryptographic protocols. This represents a direct violation of security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-52 and RFC 5246, which mandate the use of robust cryptographic protocols for secure communications. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to perform protocol downgrade attacks, where they can force applications to use weaker security mechanisms that are more susceptible to interception and manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-38596 extends beyond individual application security to affect the entire ecosystem of applications running on affected Apple platforms. When App Transport Security enforcement fails, malicious actors can exploit this weakness to intercept sensitive data transmitted between applications and backend services, potentially gaining access to user credentials, personal information, and financial data. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and can be leveraged for initial access and lateral movement within compromised environments. The risk is particularly elevated for applications that handle sensitive data or perform authentication functions, as the failure to enforce ATS creates persistent security gaps that can be exploited over time. Organizations relying on Apple devices for business operations face significant exposure risks, as this vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access to corporate networks through compromised endpoints.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-38596 should prioritize immediate deployment of the patched operating system versions that contain the corrected protocol handling mechanisms. Apple's security updates address the root cause by implementing stricter validation of protocol specifications and ensuring that App Transport Security policies are properly enforced across all network communication channels. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify applications that may be vulnerable to this weakness and implement additional network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation process should also include updating application code to explicitly enforce secure communication requirements and implementing network segmentation controls to limit the potential impact of successful attacks. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as network traffic analysis, intrusion detection systems, and certificate transparency monitoring to provide defense-in-depth against protocol-level attacks that could exploit this vulnerability. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that the patched implementations are functioning correctly and that no residual vulnerabilities remain in the network infrastructure.