CVE-2023-41992: Apple Multiple Products Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Apple · Multiple Products · NVD published 2023-09-22 · posted 2023-09-25 · last modified 2026-06-17
What it is
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.7, iOS 16.7 and iPadOS 16.7, macOS Ventura 13.6. A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.
| Weakness | CWE-754 |
|---|---|
| CVSS vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (source: [email protected]) |
| CISA due date | 2023-10-16 (for US federal agencies under BOD; a good deadline for everyone) |
| ATT&CK tactics | Privilege Escalation |
Exploitation evidence
First exploit evidence seen: 2023-09-25 (earliest date across the sources below).
Exploited in the wild
- CISA KEV: listed since 2023-09-25. Source
Public exploit code
GitHub proof-of-concept repositories
1 public repositories from 1 accounts, first seen 2025-05-12. Most starred: WHW0x455/CVE-2023-41992 (55 stars), view repository.
Verify before running: public PoCs can be malicious. Read the code and only run it in an isolated lab. A PoC means exploit code is public, not that this CVE is exploited in the wild.
Sources: CISA KEV · nomi-sec/PoC-in-GitHub.
Defend the Chain
The attack chain for CVE-2023-41992 laid across the MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise tactics. Solid cards come from the MITRE CTID KEV mappings; dashed cards are inferred by CVERadar from the CWE or description. Correct defences are real ATT&CK mitigations for that technique.
Pick a red technique card on the board, then choose the defence that stops it.
Defend against T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Inferred
Inferred from description keywords (local flaw)
How to fix it
CISA required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. (source: CISA KEV)
Fixed versions
- apple ipados: upgrade to 16.7 or later
- apple iphone os: upgrade to 16.7 or later
- apple macos: upgrade to 12.7 or later (affected from 12.0)
- apple macos: upgrade to 13.6 or later (affected from 13.0)
Derived from the NVD CPE configuration (versionEndExcluding / versionEndIncluding). Always confirm with the vendor advisory.
Vendor advisories and patches
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213926 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213927 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213928 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213929 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213931 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213932 (CISA KEV notes)
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213927 (Vendor Advisory)
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213932 (Vendor Advisory)
MITRE ATT&CK mitigations for this chain
- M1051 Update Software (for T1068) : Update software regularly by employing patch management for internal enterprise endpoints and servers.
- M1050 Exploit Protection (for T1068) : Security applications that look for behavior used during exploitation such as Windows Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG) and the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) can be used to mitigate some exploitation behavior. Control flow integrity checking is another way to potentially identify and stop a software exploi
- M1048 Application Isolation and Sandboxing (for T1068) : Make it difficult for adversaries to advance their operation through exploitation of undiscovered or unpatched vulnerabilities by using sandboxing. Other types of virtualization and application microsegmentation may also mitigate the impact of some types of exploitation. Risks of additional exploits and weaknesses in t
- M1019 Threat Intelligence Program (for T1068) : Develop a robust cyber threat intelligence capability to determine what types and levels of threat may use software exploits and 0-days against a particular organization.
- M1038 Execution Prevention (for T1068) : Consider blocking the execution of known vulnerable drivers that adversaries may exploit to execute code in kernel mode. Validate driver block rules in audit mode to ensure stability prior to production deployment.
Detection Generic guidance
- Privilege Escalation: Alert on processes gaining SYSTEM/root unexpectedly, and on exploitation crashes of privileged services.
Response checklist Generic guidance
- Inventory: find every instance of the affected product and version (include internet-facing and forgotten ones).
- Patch or mitigate per the vendor advisory; if you cannot patch, remove internet exposure or apply the vendor workaround.
- Assume compromise if the system was exposed before patching: hunt for the indicators in the advisory and review logs back to the disclosure date.
- Rotate credentials and secrets stored on or used by the affected system if compromise cannot be ruled out.