PatchSiren

PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7649 Apple CVE debrief

CVE-2016-7649 is an Apple WebKit memory corruption issue affecting iOS before 10.2, Safari before 10.0.2, iCloud before 6.1, and iTunes before 12.5.4. According to the NVD record, the issue can be triggered remotely through a crafted website and may lead to arbitrary code execution or a denial of service through application crash. The attack requires user interaction, but the potential impact is high because the CVSS 3.0 vector includes confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts at High.

Vendor
Apple
Product
CVE-2016-7649
CVSS
HIGH 8.8
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

Organizations and individuals running affected Apple software versions, especially teams supporting older iOS devices, Safari installations, iCloud clients, or iTunes deployments. Security teams should also care if legacy systems remain in service or if users routinely browse the web on unpatched Apple platforms.

Technical summary

The NVD record classifies this as a WebKit memory corruption issue (CWE-119) with CVSS 3.0 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. The vulnerable surface is a crafted website that can interact with WebKit in affected Apple products. NVD lists vulnerable version ranges for iPhone OS/iOS up to 10.1.1, Safari up to 10.0.1, iCloud up to 6.0.1, and iTunes up to 12.5.3, with Apple vendor advisories referenced in the NVD entry.

Defensive priority

High for any environment that still uses the affected versions, because the flaw is remotely reachable and can result in code execution. Priority is lower for fully updated systems, but legacy Apple endpoints and browsers should be checked promptly.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Update iOS to 10.2 or later on affected devices.
  • Update Safari to 10.0.2 or later.
  • Update iCloud to 6.1 or later.
  • Update iTunes to 12.5.4 or later.
  • Identify and retire or isolate any legacy Apple systems that cannot be updated.
  • Use the NVD and Apple vendor advisories listed for this CVE to confirm product-specific remediation guidance.

Evidence notes

The NVD record for CVE-2016-7649 states the issue affects Apple iOS, Safari, iCloud, and iTunes, describes WebKit as the affected component, and notes remote code execution or denial of service via a crafted website. The record also includes CVSS 3.0 vector details, CWE-119, and affected version bounds. Apple vendor advisory URLs are listed in the NVD references, but their contents were not fetched beyond the corpus provided here.

Official resources

The CVE was published by NVD on 2017-02-20, with a later NVD modification recorded on 2026-05-13. Apple vendor advisories are referenced in the NVD entry for remediation context.