Security Digest · Vulnerability record · Known exploited
CVE-2023-41974: Apple iOS and iPadOS Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.
CISA KEV · added 2026-03-05 CVSS 7.8 High EPSS 2.0% · p80
Should you act?
Exploited: patch now if you run it
CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- Yes, if you run Apple iOS and iPadOS. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-03-05, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-03-26; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 2.0%, percentile 80: FIRST’s model estimates a 2.0% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 80% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.
What it is
A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, iOS 15.8.7 and iPadOS 15.8.7. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
CISA’s summary
Apple iOS and iPadOS contain a use-after-free vulnerability. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
Weakness type: CWE-416.
Product: Apple iOS and iPadOS · Assigned by: apple · Published: 2024-01-10
Affected and fixed versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | iOS and iPadOS | unspecified < 17 |
| Apple | iOS and iPadOS | unspecified < 15.8.7 |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADP | 3.1 | 7.8 High | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- Attack vector: local access needed
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: required (a user must click/open something)
- Scope: unchanged
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: added 2026-03-05; federal due date 2026-03-26. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 1.96% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 80.
Timeline
- — CVE record published by apple
- — Added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- — CVE record last updated
- — CISA remediation deadline for US federal agencies
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vendor and project advisories, patches
- Listed in CISA KEV notes (support.apple.com) support.apple.com
- Listed in CISA KEV notes (support.apple.com) support.apple.com
Vulnerability records
- CVE.org record CVE-2023-41974 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2023-41974 nvd.nist.gov
Government
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- support.apple.com support.apple.com
- support.apple.com support.apple.com
- cloud.google.com cloud.google.com
All exploited Apple vulnerabilities · Today’s Security Digest