# CVE-2023-41991: Apple Multiple Products Improper Certificate Validation

> A malicious app can bypass signature validation on Apple mobile operating systems, allowing unauthorized code execution or installation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 Sep 2023 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fj3m-2r8f-m4x9

## What is CVE-2023-41991?

CVE-2023-41991 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apple Ipados, published on 21 Sep 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A certificate validation issue was addressed. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.6, iOS 16.7 and iPadOS 16.7. A malicious app may be able to bypass signature validation. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 16.7.

Weakness: CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-41991?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Apple Ipados, Apple Iphone Os, Apple Macos.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-41991?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-41991 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 16 Oct 2023.

## Is CVE-2023-41991 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-41991 in the wild since at least 25 Sep 2023.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/itsgiddd/CVE-2023-41991 (github_poc): https://github.com/itsgiddd/CVE-2023-41991
- iOS/macOS library that exploits CVE-2023-41991 for signing iOS applications. (github_poc): https://github.com/dmytrozykov/appsign
- CVE-2023-41991 vulnerability exploitation - allow malicious app able to bypass the signature validation. (github_poc): https://github.com/lambertse/CoreTrust-bypass

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Ipados

- [CVE-2025-43300](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-43300/): Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Out-of-Bounds Write (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-24201](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24201/): Apple Multiple Products WebKit Out-of-Bounds Write (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-24085](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24085/): Apple Multiple Products Use-After-Free (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-31200](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31200/): Apple Multiple Products Memory Corruption (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-31201](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-31201/): Apple Multiple Products Arbitrary Read and Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-41991 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-41991 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apple Ipados, published on 21 Sep 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-41991 in the wild since at least 25 Sep 2023.

Affected product: Apple Ipados. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41991/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41991/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-41991
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-41991
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-41991

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41991/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.