LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2020-27943: A memory corruption issue existed in the processing of font files.

A memory corruption issue existed in the processing of font files. This issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in tvOS 14.3, iOS 14.3 and iPadOS 14.3, macOS Big Sur 11.1, Security Update 2020-001 Catalina, Security Update 2020-007 Mojave, watchOS 7.2. Processing a maliciously crafted font file may lead to arbitrary code execution.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

Apple fixed a bug where a malicious font file could corrupt memory and potentially run code on affected Apple devices. The business risk is mainly from unmanaged or legacy iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV systems that missed the December 2020 security updates.

Executive priority

Treat as a high-priority legacy patch hygiene issue, not as confirmed active exploitation. The arbitrary code execution impact justifies attention, especially for older Apple assets outside normal device management.

Technical view

CVE-2020-27943 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Apple font-file processing. Apple states that processing a maliciously crafted font may lead to arbitrary code execution and that improved input validation addressed the issue across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS releases.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on Apple systems running versions before the listed fixes: iOS/iPadOS 14.3, tvOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2, macOS Big Sur 11.1, Catalina Security Update 2020-001, or Mojave Security Update 2020-007.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. Exploitation would require a target to process a maliciously crafted font file, but the sources do not describe delivery methods or public exploit activity.

Researcher notes

The source bundle lacks CVSS, CWE, root-cause detail, and exploitation telemetry. Keep analysis limited to Apple’s statement: memory corruption in font processing, fixed by improved input validation, with arbitrary code execution possible from malicious font processing.

Mitigation direction

  • Install the Apple security release applicable to each affected platform.
  • Prioritize legacy Apple devices that may have missed December 2020 updates.
  • Check Apple guidance for currently supported replacement updates if listed versions are obsolete.
  • Reduce exposure to untrusted font files where update status is unknown.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Apple device OS versions across managed and unmanaged fleets.
  • Confirm macOS Catalina and Mojave systems received the named Security Updates.
  • Verify iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS versions meet or exceed the fixed releases.
  • Review endpoint management reports for unsupported or update-ineligible Apple devices.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
6

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2020-27943 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
5Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
AppleiOS and iPadOSunspecifiedListed
AppletvOSunspecifiedListed
ApplewatchOSunspecifiedListed
ApplemacOSunspecifiedListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.