CVE-2023-41974 KEVPublic exploit High · 7.8 EPSS 2.0%
Apple iOS and iPadOS Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Apple · iOS and iPadOS
Summary
A use-after-free flaw in the memory management of Apple iOS and iPadOS allows a malicious or compromised app to corrupt kernel memory. An attacker needs a local app on the device, and the attack requires user interaction, such as the user opening or running that app.
Official description · NVD
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.
Priority scorePatchfirst’s 0 to 100 ranking. It adds points for CISA KEV listing, ransomware use, EPSS, threat reports, public exploit code and CVSS. Every CVE page shows the breakdown. Breakdown
69.5 / 100
- Exploited
- Yes, in CISA KEV
- Reports
- 0
- Tactics
- 2/15
How an attack unfolds
Based on MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.Exploitation timelineDated milestones for a CVE: when it was disclosed, when exploit code became public, when exploitation was confirmed, and when threat reports named it.
First seen exploited 2 years after disclosure.
- Disclosedday 0
- First seen exploitedVulnCheck KEV evidence+2 yrs
- Added to CISA KEVEU database agrees+2 yrs
CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.
MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. techniques
2 TechniqueOne specific attacker behaviour in MITRE ATT&CK, such as T1190 “Exploit Public-Facing Application”. IDs with a dot, like T1059.004, are sub-techniques., grouped by TacticThe attacker’s goal at a stage of an attack in MITRE ATT&CK, such as Initial Access or Persistence. Each technique belongs to one or more tactics. in kill-chain order, 2 cited passages 2ExecutionTA0002
Malicious File T1204.002 Medium Confidence (technique links)How sure Patchfirst is that an ATT&CK technique applies to this CVE. High and medium links are shown by default; low ones come from early or generic mappings, text matching, or contradict the CVE’s details.
AI mapping from the description · how it is exploited
Victim must install or open malicious app
An app may be able to execute arbitrary code
Privilege EscalationTA0004
Exploitation for Privilege Escalation T1068 Medium Confidence (technique links)How sure Patchfirst is that an ATT&CK technique applies to this CVE. High and medium links are shown by default; low ones come from early or generic mappings, text matching, or contradict the CVE’s details.
AI mapping from the description · primary impact
Use-after-free yields kernel-level privilege escalation
An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
Detection
0 rules for this CVE · 70 general rules for its techniquesRules for this CVE
0Sigma ruleAn open, vendor-neutral detection rule for log data. Security teams convert Sigma rules into searches for their own SIEM. that reference CVE-2023-41974 directly.CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗
General rules for this CVE’s techniques
These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.
Malicious FileT1204.00239 general rules
- Droppers Exploiting CVE-2017-11882criticalstable
- Ursnif Malware C2 URL Patterncriticalstable
- Exploit for CVE-2017-8759criticaltest
- Potential Maze Ransomware Activitycriticaltest
- File With Uncommon Extension Created By An Office Applicationhightest
- Flash Player Update from Suspicious Locationhightest
- GAC DLL Loaded Via Office Applicationshightest
- HackTool - LittleCorporal Generated Maldoc Injectionhightest
Exploitation for Privilege EscalationT106831 general rules
- Exploiting CVE-2019-1388criticalstable
- Audit CVE Eventcriticaltest
- HackTool - SysmonEOP Executioncriticaltest
- InstallerFileTakeOver LPE CVE-2021-41379 File Create Eventcriticaltest
- Possible Coin Miner CPU Priority Paramcriticaltest
- Potential CVE-2021-41379 Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
- Potential SystemNightmare Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
- Sudo Privilege Escalation CVE-2019-14287 - Builtincriticaltest
Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.
What security researchers reported
Not named in any threat report yetAlso mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)
Weaker evidencePulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 30, 202629 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 202628 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 202627 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 202626 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 202623 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 202622 Oct 2026
- 44 more on OTX