IRONSMITHINTEL
MEDIUMCVSS5.5
|
Actively Exploited
|CISA KEV|CVE-2023-38606|Auth: none — unauthenticated|Reboot: required|Manual only

Apple Multiple Products Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability (CVE-2023-38606)

Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS contain an unspecified vulnerability allowing an app to modify a sensitive kernel state.

Published Jul 27, 2023 · Updated May 17, 2026
Why patchRisk explained in plain English
Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A local attacker, without authentication, can achieve partial data exposure, arbitrary modification of data. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2023-08-16 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This vulnerability affects Apple Multiple Products. This issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.8, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6. An app may be able to modify sensitive kernel state. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1. 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 < 15.7.8, 16.0 ≤ v < 16.6; iphone os: v < 15.7.8, 16.0 ≤ v < 16.6; macos: 11.0 ≤ v < 11.7.9, 12.0.0 ≤ v < 12.6.8, 13.0 ≤ v < 13.5; tvos: v < 16.6; watchos: v < 9.6
Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-07-26 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2023-08-16.

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-2023-38606'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-2023-38606↗ MSRC Advisory↗ NVD↗ Vendor Advisory