Use-after-free in WebKitGTK+ and WPE WebKit - CVE-2023-28205

Vulnerability identifier: #VU74604

CSH Severity: Critical

CVSS v4: 9.3 [CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]

CVE-ID: CVE-2023-28205

CWE-ID: CWE-416

Exploitation vector: Remote access

Exploit availability: The vulnerability is being exploited in the wild

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to compromise vulnerable system.

The vulnerability exists due to a use-after-free error when processing HTML content in WebKit. A remote attacker can trick the victim to open a specially crafted website, trigger a use-after-free error and execute arbitrary code on the system.

Successful exploitation of the vulnerability may allow an attacker to compromise vulnerable system.

Note, the vulnerability is being actively exploited in the wild.

WebKitGTK+
WPE WebKit
Gentoo Linux
Oracle Linux
Debian Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 12
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing ESPOS 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing LTSS 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 15
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12
SUSE CaaS Platform
SUSE Manager Server
SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server
SUSE Manager Proxy
SUSE Enterprise Storage
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM 64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems
Anolis OS
SUSE OpenStack Cloud
SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 BCL
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 LTSS
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 ESPOS
macOS
iPadOS
Apple iOS
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1 LTSS
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 LTSS
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2 LTSS
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2 LTSS
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP3 LTSS
Basesystem Module
Desktop Applications Module
Development Tools Module
openSUSE Leap
Ubuntu
Fedora
Apple Safari
webkit2gtk3 (Red Hat package)
webkit2gtk3-jsc
webkit2gtk3-devel
webkit2gtk3
webkit2gtk3-jsc-devel
libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18 (Ubuntu package)
libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 (Ubuntu package)
libjavascriptcoregtk-5.0-0 (Ubuntu package)
libwebkit2gtk-5.0-0 (Ubuntu package)
wpewebkit (Debian package)
webkit2gtk3-debugsource
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-debuginfo
libwebkit2gtk3-lang
webkit2gtk-4_0-injected-bundles-debuginfo
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-4_0
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-debuginfo
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18
webkit2gtk-4_0-injected-bundles
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-4_0
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-4_0
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-32bit-debuginfo
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-32bit
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-32bit-debuginfo
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-32bit
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-32bit-debuginfo
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-32bit-debuginfo
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-32bit
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-32bit
libjavascriptcoregtk-5_0-0
webkit2gtk3-soup2-debugsource
webkit2gtk-5_0-injected-bundles
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-5_0
libwebkit2gtk-5_0-0-debuginfo
webkit-jsc-4
webkit-jsc-4-debuginfo
webkit2gtk4-debugsource
webkit2gtk-4_1-injected-bundles
webkit-jsc-5.0
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-4_1
webkit2gtk4-minibrowser-debuginfo
webkit2gtk-4_1-injected-bundles-debuginfo
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0
libjavascriptcoregtk-5_0-0-debuginfo
webkit2gtk3-soup2-minibrowser-debuginfo
WebKit2GTK-4.0-lang
WebKit2GTK-4.1-lang
WebKit2GTK-5.0-lang
webkit-jsc-5.0-debuginfo
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-5_0
webkit2gtk4-minibrowser
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-4_1
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-debuginfo
webkit2gtk3-soup2-devel
webkit2gtk3-soup2-minibrowser
webkit2gtk-5_0-injected-bundles-debuginfo
webkit-jsc-4.1
webkit2gtk3-minibrowser-debuginfo
libwebkit2gtk-5_0-0
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-5_0
webkit2gtk3-minibrowser
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-debuginfo
webkit2gtk4-devel
webkit-jsc-4.1-debuginfo
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-4_1
net-libs/webkit-gtk
libjavascriptcoregtk-6.0-1 (Ubuntu package)
libwebkitgtk-6.0-4 (Ubuntu package)
webkitgtk
webkit2gtk (Debian package)
webkitgtk4 (Red Hat package)
libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 (Ubuntu package)
libjavascriptcoregtk-4.1-0 (Ubuntu package)

Install update from vendor's website.

WebKitGTK+ - addressed in versions 2.38.6, 2.40.1
WPE WebKit - addressed in versions 2.38.6, 2.40.1
macOS - update to 13.3.1 22E261
iPadOS - addressed in versions 15.7.5 19H332, 16.4.1 20E252
Apple iOS - addressed in versions 15.7.5 19H332, 16.4.1 20E252
Apple Safari - update to 16.4.1
webkit2gtk3 (Red Hat package) - addressed in versions 2.36.7-1.el8_7.3, 2.36.7-1.el9_1.3, 2.38.5-1.el8_8.3
webkit2gtk3-jsc - addressed in versions 2.36.7-1.0.2, 2.38.5-1.0.1
webkit2gtk3-devel - addressed in versions 2.36.7-1.0.2, 2.38.5-1.0.1
webkit2gtk3 - addressed in versions 2.36.7-1.0.2, 2.38.5-1.0.1
webkit2gtk3-jsc-devel - addressed in versions 2.36.7-1.0.2, 2.38.5-1.0.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4.0-18 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1, 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
libwebkit2gtk-4.0-37 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.20.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1, 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1, 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4.1-0 (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.04.1, 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1, 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-5.0-0 (Ubuntu package) - update to 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1
libwebkit2gtk-5.0-0 (Ubuntu package) - update to 2.38.6-0ubuntu0.22.10.1
wpewebkit (Debian package) - update to 2.38.6-1~deb11u1
webkit2gtk3-debugsource - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-debuginfo - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk3-lang - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1
webkit2gtk-4_0-injected-bundles-debuginfo - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-4_0 - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37 - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-debuginfo - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18 - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk-4_0-injected-bundles - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-4_0 - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-4_0 - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-devel - addressed in versions 2.38.6-2.136.1, 2.38.6-150000.3.139.1, 2.38.6-150200.72.1, 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-32bit-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-32bit - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-32bit-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-32bit - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-32bit-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_0-18-32bit-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_0-37-32bit - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-32bit - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-5_0-0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-soup2-debugsource - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk-5_0-injected-bundles - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-5_0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-5_0-0-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-4 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-4-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk4-debugsource - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk-4_1-injected-bundles - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-5.0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-4_1 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk4-minibrowser-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk-4_1-injected-bundles-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-5_0-0-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-soup2-minibrowser-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
WebKit2GTK-4.0-lang - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
WebKit2GTK-4.1-lang - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
WebKit2GTK-5.0-lang - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-5.0-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-5_0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk4-minibrowser - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-JavaScriptCore-4_1 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-4_1-0-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-soup2-devel - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-soup2-minibrowser - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk-5_0-injected-bundles-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-4.1 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-minibrowser-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libwebkit2gtk-5_0-0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2WebExtension-5_0 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk3-minibrowser - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-4_1-0-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit2gtk4-devel - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
webkit-jsc-4.1-debuginfo - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
typelib-1_0-WebKit2-4_1 - update to 2.38.6-150400.4.39.1
net-libs/webkit-gtk - update to 2.40.1
libjavascriptcoregtk-6.0-1 (Ubuntu package) - update to 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
libwebkitgtk-6.0-4 (Ubuntu package) - update to 2.40.1-0ubuntu0.23.04.1
webkit2gtk3 - update to 2.40.1-1.fc36
webkitgtk - addressed in versions 2.40.1-1.fc37, 2.40.1-1.fc38
webkit2gtk (Debian package) - update to 2.40.1-1~deb11u1
webkitgtk4 (Red Hat package) - update to 2.48.3-2.el7_9

• Exploit #12453 - uaf-2023-28205 (PoC CVE-2023-28205: Apple WebKit Use-After-Free Vulnerability) (February 27, 2026)
• Exploit #10954 - uaf-2023-28205 (PoC CVE-2023-28205: Apple WebKit Use-After-Free Vulnerability) (December 6, 2024)

• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213722
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213720
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213721
• https://webkitgtk.org/security/WSA-2023-0003.html

• Multiple vulnerabilities in Apple iOS 16 and iPadOS 16
• Multiple vulnerabilities in Apple macOS Ventura
• Remote code execution in Apple Safari
• Remote code execution in WebKitGTK+ and WPE WebKit
• Multiple vulnerabilities in Apple iOS 15 and iPadOS 15
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 update for webkit2gtk3
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 update for webkit2gtk3
• SUSE update for webkit2gtk3
• SUSE update for webkit2gtk3
• SUSE update for webkit2gtk3
• SUSE update for webkit2gtk3
• Debian update for wpewebkit
• Debian update for webkit2gtk
• Ubuntu update for webkit2gtk
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 update for webkit2gtk3
• Multiple vulnerabilities in Oracle Linux
• Gentoo update for WebKitGTK+
• Fedora 38 update for webkitgtk
• Fedora 36 update for webkit2gtk3
• Fedora 37 update for webkitgtk
• Anolis OS update for webkit2gtk3
• Anolis OS update for webkit2gtk3
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support update for webkitgtk4