CVE-2023-42922: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2023-42922 Overview

CVE-2023-42922 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting Apple's macOS, iOS, and iPadOS operating systems. The vulnerability stems from improper redaction of sensitive information, allowing a malicious application to read sensitive location data without proper authorization. Apple addressed this issue by implementing improved redaction of sensitive information in their December 2023 security updates.

Critical Impact

A malicious application installed on an affected device may be able to access sensitive location information, potentially compromising user privacy and enabling location tracking without proper consent.

Affected Products

• Apple macOS Sonoma (versions prior to 14.2)
• Apple macOS Ventura (versions prior to 13.6.3)
• Apple macOS Monterey (versions prior to 12.7.2)
• Apple iOS (versions prior to 17.2 and 16.7.3)
• Apple iPadOS (versions prior to 17.2 and 16.7.3)

Discovery Timeline

• December 12, 2023 - CVE-2023-42922 published to NVD
• November 4, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2023-42922

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an information disclosure flaw in Apple's operating systems where sensitive location data is not properly redacted before being made accessible to applications. The issue affects the confidentiality of user location information, allowing applications to bypass normal privacy controls and access location data that should be protected.

The vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to exploit, meaning an attacker would need to convince a user to install a malicious application on their device. Once installed, the application can read sensitive location information without triggering the normal location permission prompts or privacy indicators that users would expect.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2023-42922 lies in insufficient redaction of sensitive location information within Apple's operating systems. Location data that should have been sanitized or removed before being accessible to applications was inadvertently exposed due to incomplete data handling in the system's privacy protection mechanisms. Apple's fix improved the redaction process to ensure sensitive location information is properly protected from unauthorized application access.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, requiring a malicious application to be installed on the target device. An attacker would typically need to:

1. Develop or modify an application to exploit the information disclosure flaw
2. Distribute the malicious application (potentially through social engineering, malicious websites, or compromised app distribution channels)
3. Convince the user to install the application on their device
4. Once installed, the application can silently access sensitive location data

The vulnerability does not require the malicious app to request location permissions through normal channels, allowing it to bypass Apple's standard privacy protections and indicators. This makes the attack particularly concerning as users would have no visual indication that their location data is being accessed.

Detection Methods for CVE-2023-42922

Indicators of Compromise

• Applications accessing location-related system files or APIs without displaying the standard location services indicator
• Unusual application behavior accessing system directories containing location data
• Applications with unexplained data exfiltration patterns that correlate with device movement
• Presence of applications from untrusted sources that were not installed through official App Store channels

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for applications accessing location services without proper entitlements or user permissions
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring macOS and iOS system API calls
• Review installed applications for any that were not obtained from trusted sources
• Enable Apple's built-in security features including Gatekeeper and app sandboxing enforcement

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable Location Services privacy indicators and review which applications have accessed location data in Settings > Privacy > Location Services
• Deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce application installation policies
• Monitor system logs for unusual access patterns to location-related system resources
• Implement network monitoring to detect potential data exfiltration of location information

How to Mitigate CVE-2023-42922

Immediate Actions Required

• Update all Apple devices to the latest patched versions immediately
• For macOS: Update to Sonoma 14.2, Ventura 13.6.3, or Monterey 12.7.2 or later
• For iOS/iPadOS: Update to iOS 17.2, iOS 16.7.3, iPadOS 17.2, or iPadOS 16.7.3 or later
• Review installed applications and remove any from untrusted sources
• Enable automatic updates to ensure future security patches are applied promptly

Patch Information

Apple has released security updates addressing this vulnerability across multiple product lines. The patches improve the redaction of sensitive location information to prevent unauthorized access by applications.

Workarounds

• Limit application installations to only trusted sources (App Store for iOS/iPadOS, verified developers for macOS)
• Review and restrict Location Services permissions for all installed applications
• Enable Lockdown Mode on iOS/iPadOS devices for high-risk users requiring additional protection
• Implement strict MDM policies to control application installation on enterprise devices

# Check macOS version to verify patch status
sw_vers -productVersion

# List applications with location services access on macOS
defaults read /var/db/locationd/clients.plist 2>/dev/null | grep -E "BundleId|Authorized"

# Enable automatic software updates on macOS
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticDownload -bool true
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticallyInstallMacOSUpdates -bool true