iOS 17.4 Security Update

What iOS 17.4 Fixes

iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4, released March 5, 2024, fixes 41 vulnerabilities in 25 parts of the system, according to Apple's security advisory.

Apple says 2 of these flaws — CVE-2024-23225, CVE-2024-23296 — may already have been exploited. That makes iOS 17.4 an update to install now rather than at the weekend.

It has since been superseded: the newest security release for iOS 17 is iOS 17.7.2 and iPadOS 17.7.2, from November 19, 2024, which includes these fixes.

Grouped by us from the impact Apple gives for each fix; the impact lines below are Apple's own.

Exploited Before the Fix

Apple flags a fix as possibly exploited when it has a credible report that the flaw was used against real people before the patch. These are the reason to update today.

• Kernel Exploited

  An attacker with arbitrary kernel read and write capability may be able to bypass kernel memory protections. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited.

  A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-23225

• RTKit Exploited

  An attacker with arbitrary kernel read and write capability may be able to bypass kernel memory protections. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited.

  A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-23296

Which Devices Get iOS 17.4

Apple lists iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 for: iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.

How to Install iOS 17.4

On the iPhone, open Settings → General → Software Update. If more than one update is offered, the one with the higher version number is the current release; the other is for people who want to stay on the previous major version.

Security fixes are cumulative: any later release for the same version includes these as well, so if you are already past iOS 17.4 there is nothing to do.

Every Fix in iOS 17.4

The rest of Apple's advisory — every fix not already listed above, the most serious kinds first. Each entry is the part of the system affected, Apple's description of the impact and the fix, and the CVE ID.

• Image Processing

  An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-23270

• ImageIO

  Processing an image may lead to arbitrary code execution

  A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-23286

• libxpc

  An app may be able to execute arbitrary code out of its sandbox or with certain elevated privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-0258

• WebKit

  Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-23226 CVE-2024-27859

• AppleMobileFileIntegrity

  An app may be able to elevate privileges

  This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

  CVE-2024-23288

• Bluetooth

  An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to inject keystrokes by spoofing a keyboard

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23277

• Kernel

  An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory

  A memory corruption vulnerability was addressed with improved locking.

  CVE-2024-23265

• libxpc

  An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23278

• UIKit

  An app may be able to break out of its sandbox

  This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

  CVE-2024-23246

• Accessibility

  An app may be able to read sensitive location information

  A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

  CVE-2024-23243

• Accessibility

  A malicious app may be able to observe user data in log entries related to accessibility notifications

  A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

  CVE-2024-23291

• ExtensionKit

  An app may be able to access sensitive user data

  A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

  CVE-2024-23205

• Kernel

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

  CVE-2024-23235

• MediaRemote

  A malicious application may be able to access private information

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23297

• Messages

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  A privacy issue was addressed with improved handling of temporary files.

  CVE-2024-23287

• Photos

  Shake-to-undo may allow a deleted photo to be re-surfaced without authentication

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23240

• Photos

  Photos in the Hidden Photos Album may be viewed without authentication

  An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23255

• Safari Private Browsing

  A user's locked tabs may be briefly visible while switching tab groups when Locked Private Browsing is enabled

  A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23256

• Safari Private Browsing

  Private Browsing tabs may be accessed without authentication

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23273

• Sandbox

  An app may be able to leak sensitive user information

  A race condition was addressed with improved state handling.

  CVE-2024-23239

• Sandbox

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.

  CVE-2024-23290

• Share Sheet

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.

  CVE-2024-23231

• Shortcuts

  An app may be able to access information about a user's contacts

  This issue was addressed with improved data protection.

  CVE-2024-23292

• Siri

  A person with physical access to a device may be able to use Siri to access private calendar information

  A lock screen issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23289

• Siri

  An attacker with physical access may be able to use Siri to access sensitive user data

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23293

• Spotlight

  An app may be able to leak sensitive user information

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23241

• Accessibility

  An app may be able to spoof system notifications and UI

  This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks.

  CVE-2024-23262

• WebKit

  A malicious website may exfiltrate audio data cross-origin

  The issue was addressed with improved UI handling.

  CVE-2024-23254

• file

  Processing a file may lead to a denial-of-service or potentially disclose memory contents

  This issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2022-48554

• Safari

  Processing web content may lead to a denial-of-service

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23259

• WebKit

  Processing web content may lead to a denial-of-service

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-54658

• CoreBluetooth - LE

  An app may be able to access Bluetooth-connected microphones without user permission

  An access issue was addressed with improved access restrictions.

  CVE-2024-23250

• Metal

  An application may be able to read restricted memory

  A validation issue was addressed with improved input sanitization.

  CVE-2024-23264

• Safari

  An app may be able to fingerprint the user

  The issue was addressed with improved handling of caches.

  CVE-2024-23220

• Synapse

  An app may be able to view Mail data

  A privacy issue was addressed by not logging contents of text fields.

  CVE-2024-23242

• WebKit

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content Security Policy from being enforced

  A logic issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-23263

• WebKit

  A maliciously crafted webpage may be able to fingerprint the user

  An injection issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-23280

• WebKit

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content Security Policy from being enforced

  A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23284

iOS 17 Security Release History

iOS 17.4 in context: the security releases Apple has published for iOS 17, newest first, with the number of fixes each carried.

The Same Fixes Elsewhere

Apple ships most fixes to every platform that shares the code, and to older versions still under support. These releases close at least one of the same CVEs:

Frequently Asked Questions