Signature-validation bypass via improper certificate checks
Published Sep 21, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025
Improper certificate validation in iOS and iPadOS before 16.7 and macOS before 13.6 lets local users bypass app signature checks. Apple identifies the Security component but has not published the failed certificate check or validation path. A malicious app must be launched for untrusted code to pass signature validation; Apple reports active exploitation only against iOS before 16.7.
Summary
What happened
Improper certificate validation in iOS and iPadOS before 16.7 and macOS before 13.6 lets local users bypass app signature checks. Apple identifies the Security component but has not published the failed certificate check or validation path. A malicious app must be launched for untrusted code to pass signature validation; Apple reports active exploitation only against iOS before 16.7.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-41991
- Published
- Sep 21, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- CWE-295, T1553.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 4, 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <16.7
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Reported exploitation
- Apple report of active exploitationreported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities entryknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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