Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Apple issue meant clearing browser history and website data could fail to fully remove history. The business concern is privacy, retention, and user trust, not system takeover. Apple says the problem was fixed through improved data deletion in specified 2020 platform updates.
Executive priority
Treat this as a privacy hygiene issue. It should be remediated through normal Apple update management, with higher urgency for executives, legal, HR, healthcare, finance, or other sensitive-use devices.
Technical view
CVE-2020-29623 is a data deletion flaw affecting Apple iOS/iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS. Apple states "Clear History and Website Data" did not clear history, allowing a user to be unable to fully delete browsing history. No CVSS, CWE, or detailed attack prerequisites are provided in the source bundle.
Likely exposure
Exposure is likely limited to Apple devices running versions before iOS/iPadOS 14.3, tvOS 14.3, macOS Big Sur 11.1, or the named Catalina and Mojave security updates.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. It describes a privacy and data-retention failure rather than remote code execution or privilege escalation. Evidence is insufficient to assess attacker access requirements.
Researcher notes
Public details are sparse. The source bundle identifies the symptom, affected Apple platforms, and fixed releases, but not root cause, CVSS, CWE, proof of exploitation, or reliable reproduction conditions. Fedora and Gentoo references are present but not detailed in the bundle.
Mitigation direction
- Update iOS and iPadOS devices to 14.3 or later.
- Update tvOS devices to 14.3 or later.
- Apply macOS Big Sur 11.1 or the named Catalina/Mojave security updates.
- Check current Apple guidance for any later superseding updates.
- Prioritize managed devices handling sensitive browsing or regulated data.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Apple device OS versions against the fixed releases.
- Confirm MDM compliance policies require current supported Apple updates.
- Test that browser history deletion behaves correctly on representative updated devices.
- Review support exceptions for older Catalina, Mojave, iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS devices.
- Document residual risk for devices that cannot be updated.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
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.
CVE-2020-29623 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212011CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212003CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212005CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- FEDORA-2021-864dc37032CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_FEDORA
- FEDORA-2021-619711d709CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_FEDORA
- GLSA-202104-03CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.