Arbitrary code execution via WebKit use-after-free
Published Apr 10, 2023 · Updated Oct 21, 2025
Use-after-free in Apple Safari, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS WebKit allows remote attackers to execute code via malicious web content. WebKit retains or reuses freed memory while processing that content, although Apple has not disclosed the responsible object or function. A victim must process attacker-controlled web content; successful exploitation executes code in the affected WebKit process.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Apple Safari, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS WebKit allows remote attackers to execute code via malicious web content. WebKit retains or reuses freed memory while processing that content, although Apple has not disclosed the responsible object or function. A victim must process attacker-controlled web content; successful exploitation executes code in the affected WebKit process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-28205
- Published
- Apr 10, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1189
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 10, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.7
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <16.4
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo