Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2023-42953 is an Apple permissions flaw that could let an app access sensitive user data it should not reach. The sources list fixes in iOS/iPadOS 17.1, macOS Sonoma 14.1, watchOS 10.1, and tvOS 17.1. The main business risk is privacy exposure on unmanaged or slow-to-update Apple devices.
Executive priority
Prioritize normal patch-cycle remediation, with faster handling for executives, regulated users, and unmanaged Apple fleets. There is no provided evidence of active exploitation, but the confidentiality impact makes delayed patching a privacy and compliance concern.
Technical view
Apple describes a permissions issue addressed with additional restrictions. CVSS 3.1 is 5.5: local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, high confidentiality impact, no integrity or availability impact. Affected versions are not specified beyond impacted product families and fixed release versions.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Apple devices running pre-fix versions in the listed product families, especially devices allowing third-party apps. The sources do not define exact vulnerable version ranges or device models, so inventory must compare deployed OS versions against Apple’s fixed releases.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires local app-level access, not remote unauthenticated network access. Treat this as a privacy and data-access risk rather than a system takeover based on available evidence.
Researcher notes
Evidence is sparse: Apple gives a high-level permissions description, affected product families, and fixed versions, but no component name, CWE, vulnerable ranges, or technical root cause. Validation should avoid assumptions and focus on OS-version compliance against the named fixed releases.
Mitigation direction
- Update iOS and iPadOS devices to 17.1 or later where applicable.
- Update macOS Sonoma systems to 14.1 or later where applicable.
- Update watchOS devices to 10.1 or later where applicable.
- Update tvOS devices to 17.1 or later where applicable.
- Check Apple guidance for device-specific applicability and older-branch coverage.
- Prioritize unmanaged devices and devices running untrusted third-party apps.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Apple devices across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
- Confirm installed OS versions meet or exceed the fixed releases.
- Use MDM or endpoint reporting to identify lagging devices.
- Verify update enforcement policies cover personally owned or unmanaged devices.
- Track exceptions where Apple guidance does not confirm applicability.
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-2023-42953 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
- Medium
- CVSS
- 5.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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 vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N1.83.6Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
5.5MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213987CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213984CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213988CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213982CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213988CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213984CVE reference
- https://support.apple.com/kb/HT213982CVE reference
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.