External risk intelligence

Apple OS: Malicious App Can Bypass Signature Validation.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2023-41991

A certificate validation issue in Apple operating systems may allow a malicious application to bypass signature validation. This could impact the integrity of software on affected devices and poses a potential risk to systems and data. Apple has released updates to address this vulnerability.

1Halo Surface Signal

Apple Ipados

before 16.717.013.0 to before 13.6

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2023-41991

This vulnerability involves signature validation bypass within the operating system, which requires a malicious application to be present and executed locally on the device. It is not a network-reachable service, edge endpoint, or public-facing application, making it very unlikely to be exposed to the public internet in common deployments.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A certificate validation issue in Apple's operating systems may allow a malicious application to bypass signature validation. This could affect the integrity of software installations on affected devices. Organizations should be aware of this potential risk to their systems and data.

  • Vulnerable component: Certificate validation
  • Core weakness: Signature validation bypass
  • Main business impact: Compromised software integrity

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

A certificate validation issue has been identified that could allow a malicious application to bypass signature validation. This vulnerability may be actively exploited, posing a risk to organizations utilizing affected Apple products. The attack path involves a malicious application gaining access to a user's device, which can then exploit the validation issue.

  • A malicious app is installed.
  • The app triggers signature validation bypass.
  • Control or impact results.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

A certificate validation issue in Apple software could allow a malicious application to bypass signature validation. Apple is aware of a report indicating this issue may have been actively exploited on certain versions of iOS prior to iOS 16.7. This vulnerability affects macOS, iPadOS, and iPhone operating systems.

  • Likely attacker skill: Low
  • Required access: Local application installed
  • Business risk: Medium severity

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

An organization should address a certificate validation issue that could allow a malicious application to bypass signature validation. This vulnerability has been reported as actively exploited on some affected systems. Apple has released updates to fix this issue.

  • Identify all affected Apple devices.
  • Isolate potentially exposed devices.
  • Apply vendor security updates.
  • Verify patch deployment and monitor systems.

Frequently asked questions

What Apple operating systems are impacted by CVE-2023-41991 and what are they used for?

CVE-2023-41991 affects Apple's macOS, iPadOS, and iPhone operating systems. These systems are fundamental to daily device operations, supporting everything from personal communication and web browsing to professional productivity and the management of device security.

What is the weakness class for CVE-2023-41991 and how does it relate to certificate validation?

This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-295, which pertains to improper certificate validation. Essentially, the system may fail to correctly verify the authenticity of digital signatures, potentially enabling malicious software to be recognized as legitimate.

How could a malicious application exploit the CVE-2023-41991 vulnerability?

A malicious application could exploit this vulnerability by bypassing the normal signature validation process. This would allow the app to be installed or run on affected Apple devices without proper verification of its authenticity, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or data access.

What is the relevance of CVE-2023-41991 given Apple's Halo Surface Signal assessment?

The Halo Surface Signal assessment indicates that this vulnerability is 'Very unlikely' to be exposed to the public internet. This is because the exploit requires a malicious application to be executed locally on the device, rather than being accessible through a network service.

What practical steps should be taken to respond to CVE-2023-41991?

To address this vulnerability, organizations should identify all affected Apple devices, isolate any potentially compromised systems, and promptly apply the security updates released by Apple. Verifying that patches have been successfully deployed and continuing to monitor systems is also crucial.

References