IRONSMITHINTEL
HIGHCVSS7.8
|
Actively Exploited
|CISA KEV|CVE-2023-41061|Auth: none — unauthenticated|Reboot: required|Manual only

Apple iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS Wallet Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2023-41061)

Apple iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS contain an unspecified vulnerability due to a validation issue affecting Wallet in which a maliciously crafted attachment may result in code execution. This vulnerability was chained with CVE-2023-41064.

Published Sep 7, 2023 · Updated May 17, 2026
Why patchRisk explained in plain English
Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A local attacker, without authentication, can achieve full data confidentiality loss, arbitrary modification of data, complete denial of service or system unavailability. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2023-10-02 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This is a Improper Input Validation (CWE-20) vulnerability in Apple iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. A validation issue was addressed with improved logic. This issue is fixed in watchOS 9.6.2, iOS 16.6.1 and iPadOS 16.6.1. A maliciously crafted attachment may result in arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited. Exploitation requires local access, low attack complexity, no authentication required, and user interaction required.

Am I affected?Quick check

Probably yes if any of these apply:

●Apple Device Administrators
●Endpoint Security
●IT Security
●Running ipados: v < 16.6.1; iphone os: v < 16.6.1; watchos: v < 9.6.2
Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-09-11 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2023-10-02.

How to patch

Manual remediation steps

1
Identify affected hosts: query inventory for general installs in scope.
2
Apply the vendor security update referenced in CVE-2023-41061's advisory. No specific KB/version is encoded yet — consult the linked MSRC/vendor URL.
3
Verify the fix per the vendor's published verification steps.
4
Document the remediation in your change ticket and re-scan with your vulnerability scanner to confirm closure.
PowerShell automationComing soon

No tested PowerShell script for this entry yet. We’re prioritising automation based on user demand.

References

↗ CVE-2023-41061↗ MSRC Advisory↗ NVD↗ Vendor Advisory