Code execution via undisclosed ImageIO memory corruption
Published Dec 12, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025
Memory corruption in Apple ImageIO before iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, tvOS 17.2, macOS 14.2, and watchOS 10.2 allows attackers to execute code. Apple identifies improper memory handling but has not disclosed the affected parser, memory-safety primitive, image format, or malformed field. Exploitation requires a target process to handle an attacker-supplied image and yields code execution in that process's security context.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in Apple ImageIO before iOS 17.2, iPadOS 17.2, tvOS 17.2, macOS 14.2, and watchOS 10.2 allows attackers to execute code. Apple identifies improper memory handling but has not disclosed the affected parser, memory-safety primitive, image format, or malformed field. Exploitation requires a target process to handle an attacker-supplied image and yields code execution in that process's security context.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-42898
- Published
- Dec 12, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 12, 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 <17.2
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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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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