#VU78599 Untrusted search path in Apple iOS and iPadOS - CVE-2023-38565

Vulnerability identifier: #VU78599

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2023-38565

CWE-ID: CWE-426

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
Apple iOS
Operating systems & Components / Operating system
iPadOS
Operating systems & Components / Operating system

Vendor: Apple Inc.

Description

The vulnerability allows a local application to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to usage of an untrusted search path in libxpc. A local application can execute arbitrary code with root privileges.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

Apple iOS: 16.0 20A362 - 16.5.1 20F770750b

iPadOS: 16.0 20A362 - 16.5.1

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External links
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213841

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.