CVE-2023-42884 in tvOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2023
This issue was addressed with improved redaction of sensitive information. This issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.2, iOS 17.2 and iPadOS 17.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.3, tvOS 17.2, iOS 16.7.3 and iPadOS 16.7.3. An app may be able to disclose kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure flaw that existed in Apple's operating systems prior to the release of specific security updates. The issue stems from inadequate redaction mechanisms within the system's memory handling processes, allowing malicious applications to potentially access kernel memory regions that should remain protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including macOS, iOS, and tvOS across several versions, highlighting the widespread nature of the memory protection gap. The problem manifests when applications attempt to extract sensitive data from kernel memory spaces, bypassing normal security boundaries that should prevent such access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper handling of memory access controls within Apple's kernel subsystems. When applications request certain memory operations, the system fails to properly sanitize or redact sensitive information that might be exposed through memory leaks or improper access patterns. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of information exposure issues and can be classified as a memory corruption or access control flaw. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient input validation and memory management controls can create pathways for unauthorized data access. According to CWE standards, this represents a weakness in the protection of sensitive information and can be categorized under CWE-200, which deals with exposure of sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage, as it provides attackers with potential access to kernel memory that contains critical system information, credentials, or other sensitive data. This access could enable attackers to escalate privileges, extract system information, or potentially gain deeper access to the operating system's core functionality. The implications are particularly concerning given that kernel memory often contains privileged information that should remain inaccessible to user-level applications. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform advanced persistent threats or system compromise operations that would otherwise be prevented by proper memory isolation mechanisms.
The remediation for this vulnerability required Apple to implement enhanced redaction mechanisms that properly sanitize memory access requests and ensure that kernel memory regions remain protected from unauthorized access. The updates released for macOS Sonoma 14.2, iOS 17.2, and related versions include modifications to the memory management subsystems that prevent applications from accessing kernel memory spaces without proper authorization. These fixes align with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, as they address how adversaries might exploit memory access controls to gain elevated system privileges. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these security updates across all affected platforms to prevent potential exploitation of this memory access vulnerability. The fix demonstrates the importance of proper memory management practices and the critical need for robust access control mechanisms in operating system security architecture.