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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-4679 Apple CVE debrief

CVE-2016-4679 is an Apple libarchive issue affecting older versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. A crafted archive containing a symlink could enable arbitrary file writes, which is why Apple issued platform updates to address the flaw.

Vendor
Apple
Product
Unknown
CVSS
MEDIUM 5.5
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-20
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-20
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Apple device fleet owners, mobile and endpoint security teams, and anyone responsible for unpacking or processing untrusted archive files on affected Apple operating systems.

Technical summary

The NVD record maps this issue to CWE-59 (link following / symlink-related filesystem handling). Affected versions are iOS before 10.1, macOS before 10.12.1, tvOS before 10.0.1, and watchOS before 3.1. The NVD CVSS v3.0 vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, indicating integrity impact with user interaction required.

Defensive priority

Medium. The issue can lead to unauthorized file writes on affected systems, but the published CVSS score is 5.5 and the vector requires user interaction.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Confirm whether any Apple devices are running iOS earlier than 10.1, macOS earlier than 10.12.1, tvOS earlier than 10.0.1, or watchOS earlier than 3.1.
  • Apply the relevant Apple security updates referenced in the vendor advisories.
  • Treat untrusted archives as high risk, especially workflows that automatically extract files.
  • Review archive-processing code and tools for symlink handling and path validation safeguards.
  • Use inventory and compliance checks to verify that affected Apple platforms are fully patched.

Evidence notes

This debrief is based on the CVE description, the NVD CPE ranges, and the NVD CVSS/CWE metadata supplied in the source corpus. Vendor advisory links from Apple are included in the record, but no additional advisory text was assumed beyond the provided metadata.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2016-4679 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4679

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2016-4679 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4679

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.