CVE-2023-38603Network attack vector

Unauthenticated remote system interruption

Published Jul 27, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Kernel denial of service in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 16.6 and macOS before 13.5 allows remote attackers to terminate the system. Apple identifies the affected locus as the kernel but discloses only that improved checks addressed the issue, not the unchecked input or operation. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the bounded consequence is system interruption rather than data access or modification.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Kernel denial of service in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 16.6 and macOS before 13.5 allows remote attackers to terminate the system. Apple identifies the affected locus as the kernel but discloses only that improved checks addressed the issue, not the unchecked input or operation. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the bounded consequence is system interruption rather than data access or modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38603
Published
Jul 27, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <16.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <16.6
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <13.5

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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