PatchSiren

PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7616 Apple CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7616 is a high-severity Apple vulnerability in the Disk Images component. According to the published record, a crafted app can trigger memory corruption that may lead to arbitrary code execution in a privileged context or cause a denial of service. The issue affects older Apple OS releases across iOS, macOS, and watchOS, and should be treated as a patch-priority endpoint issue for any environment that still supports those versions.

Vendor
Apple
Product
CVE-2016-7616
CVSS
HIGH 7.8
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

Security teams managing Apple endpoints should care, especially those responsible for iPhone/iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch fleets that may still run the affected versions. It is also relevant to application and device management teams that control app installation and OS update compliance, because the trigger is a crafted app and the impact includes privileged code execution.

Technical summary

The NVD record describes a memory corruption flaw in Apple’s Disk Images component. The CVSS v3 vector is AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, which indicates local exploitation that does not require privileges but does require user interaction. NVD maps the weakness to CWE-119. The public record says the issue affects iOS before 10.2, macOS before 10.12.2, and watchOS before 3.1.3; the NVD CPE data in the modified record lists vulnerable ranges ending at iOS 10.1.1, macOS 10.12.1, and watchOS 2.2.2.

Defensive priority

High. The flaw requires local user interaction, but the potential outcome includes privileged code execution and full confidentiality/integrity/availability impact in the CVSS score. Prioritize remediation on any device that remains on the affected Apple OS versions, especially where update lag is common.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade affected Apple devices to fixed versions at or above iOS 10.2, macOS 10.12.2, and watchOS 3.1.3, or the latest supported releases for those product lines.
  • Confirm remediation against Apple’s advisories referenced by NVD: HT207422, HT207423, and HT207487.
  • Inventory devices that may still run legacy Apple OS versions and isolate or retire unsupported systems that cannot be updated.
  • Review app installation and trust controls to reduce exposure to crafted-app delivery paths until all affected devices are patched.
  • Monitor affected hosts for unexpected crashes or instability in components associated with disk image handling, and investigate any suspicious app-install or launch activity on vulnerable builds.

Evidence notes

This debrief is based on the public CVE/NVD record and Apple vendor references included in the corpus. The record was published on 2017-02-20 and later modified on 2026-05-13. The textual description states affected versions are iOS before 10.2, macOS before 10.12.2, and watchOS before 3.1.3. The NVD CPE data in the modified record lists vulnerable endpoints of iOS 10.1.1, macOS 10.12.1, and watchOS 2.2.2, so exact fixed builds should be verified against Apple’s advisories. NVD also classifies the issue as CWE-119 and assigns CVSS v3.0 AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Official resources

Publicly disclosed in the CVE/NVD record on 2017-02-20; the NVD entry was modified on 2026-05-13.