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Actively exploited

CVE-2023-38606 Apple Multiple Products Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability

Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS contain an unspecified vulnerability allowing an app to modify a sensitive kernel state.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch urgentlyCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 26 Jul 2023.
  • Rated Medium severity (CVSS 5.5, scored by CISA).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 1,199 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

This issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6.8, iOS 15.7.8 and iPadOS 15.7.8, iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, tvOS 16.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7.9, macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6. An app may be able to modify sensitive kernel state. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1.

Affected Versions

ProductVersions
Apple tvOSunspecified to before 16.6
Apple iOS and iPadOSunspecified to before 16.6
Apple macOSunspecified to before 13.5
Apple iOS and iPadOSunspecified to before 15.7
Apple macOSunspecified to before 11.7
Apple macOSunspecified to before 12.6

From the public CVE record, as supplied by the vendor. Always confirm against the vendor advisory.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Apple Multiple Products. Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsCyber Essentials requires high and critical updates (CVSS 7.0 or above) within 14 days of release. Treat any exploited flaw the same way.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 16 Aug 2023 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

More Exploited Apple Flaws

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2023-38606
  3. CVE record: CVE-2023-38606
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213841, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213842, https://support.apple.co
  6. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213846
  7. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213841
  8. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213843
  9. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213842
  10. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213845
  11. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213844
  12. support.apple.com/en-us/HT213848