Apple iOS/iPadOS up to 16.4.0 WebKit use after free

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.9$5k-$25k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability identified as critical has been detected in Apple iOS and iPadOS up to 16.4.0. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the component WebKit. This manipulation causes use after free. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2023-28205. Remote exploitation of the attack is possible. Furthermore, an exploit is available. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in Apple iOS and iPadOS up to 16.4.0 (Smartphone Operating System). Affected by this vulnerability is some unknown functionality of the component WebKit. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a use after free vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-416. Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The weakness was published 04/07/2023 by Clément Lecigne as HT213720 as confirmed advisory (Website). The advisory is shared at support.apple.com. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-28205. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Technical details are unknown but an exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 12/03/2025). It is expected to see the exploit prices for this product increasing in the near future. The advisory points out:

Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

It is declared as attacked. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 236758 (Alibaba Cloud Linux 3 : 0040: webkit2gtk3 (ALINUX3-SA-2023:0040)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog lists this issue since 04/10/2023 with a due date of 05/01/2023:

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Upgrading to version 16.4.1 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability. The advisory contains the following remark:

A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Zero-Day.cz (761), Tenable (236758), EUVD (EUVD-2023-31913) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2023-1185). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Affected

  • Debian Linux
  • Amazon Linux 2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • Fedora Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
  • SUSE Linux
  • Oracle Linux
  • Gentoo Linux
  • SUSE openSUSE
  • Red Hat OpenShift
  • RESF Rocky Linux

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.0
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.9

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 8.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 8.8
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Use after free
CWE: CWE-416 / CWE-119
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Attacked

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

KEV Added: 🔍
KEV Due: 🔍
KEV Remediation: 🔍
KEV Ransomware: 🔍
KEV Notice: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 236758
Nessus Name: Alibaba Cloud Linux 3 : 0040: webkit2gtk3 (ALINUX3-SA-2023:0040)

Zero-Day.cz: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Upgrade: iOS/iPadOS 16.4.1

Timelineinfo

03/13/2023 🔍
04/07/2023 +24 days 🔍
04/07/2023 +0 days 🔍
04/07/2023 +0 days 🔍
12/03/2025 +971 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: HT213720
Researcher: Clément Lecigne
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2023-28205 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2023-28205
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-225325
EUVD: 🔍
CERT Bund: WID-SEC-2023-1185 - Red Hat Enterprise Linux: Mehrere Schwachstellen

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20150917

Entryinfo

Created: 04/07/2023 23:47
Updated: 12/03/2025 18:26
Changes: 04/07/2023 23:47 (11), 04/07/2023 23:48 (8), 04/07/2023 23:51 (29), 04/26/2023 08:15 (2), 04/26/2023 08:17 (11), 04/28/2024 12:44 (23), 05/15/2024 17:15 (1), 06/12/2024 23:16 (2), 09/09/2024 22:30 (2), 01/29/2025 02:04 (11), 04/27/2025 11:38 (3), 05/15/2025 17:14 (2), 11/30/2025 03:43 (7), 12/03/2025 18:26 (1)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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