What Is a CVE? Understanding Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures

Every time Apple publishes a security update, the release notes contain a list of identifiers like CVE-2024-23222 or CVE-2025-31200. These are CVE IDs – the universal language the security industry uses to discuss specific vulnerabilities. Understanding how CVEs work gives Mac administrators the ability to track threats, prioritize patches, and communicate risk clearly.

Anatomy of a CVE Identifier

A CVE ID follows a strict format:

CVE-YYYY-NNNNN

• CVE – The fixed prefix indicating this is a Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures entry.
• YYYY – The year the CVE ID was assigned (not necessarily the year the vulnerability was discovered or disclosed).
• NNNNN – A unique numeric sequence. Originally four digits, now five or more digits to accommodate the growing volume of disclosures.

For example, CVE-2025-31200 was assigned in 2025 and is the 31,200th ID in that year’s sequence.

Note: The year in a CVE ID reflects when the ID was reserved, not when the vulnerability was found or patched. A CVE reserved in 2024 might not be publicly disclosed until 2025.

Who Assigns CVEs?

The CVE Program is coordinated by the MITRE Corporation and sponsored by CISA. However, MITRE does not assign every CVE directly. Instead, the program operates through a network of CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs) – organizations authorized to assign CVE IDs within their scope.

Apple is a CNA. This means Apple assigns CVE IDs for vulnerabilities in its own products (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Safari, etc.) without needing to go through MITRE. When Apple discovers or receives a report of a vulnerability in WebKit, the kernel, or any Apple framework, Apple’s security team reserves a CVE ID, investigates, develops a patch, and coordinates disclosure.

Other CNAs relevant to Mac admins include Google (for Chrome), Mozilla (for Firefox), and Microsoft (for Office for Mac).

The CVE Lifecycle

A vulnerability moves through several stages before it reaches your fleet as a patch:

1. Discovery

A vulnerability is found by a security researcher, internal team, or through automated tooling. The finder may report it directly to the vendor or to a coordinating body.

2. CVE Assignment

A CNA (such as Apple) reserves a CVE ID for the vulnerability. At this point, the CVE record may be marked as “RESERVED” with no public details.

3. Investigation and Patch Development

The vendor analyzes the vulnerability, determines severity, and develops a fix. For Apple, this happens behind closed doors – Apple does not publish vulnerability details until a patch is available.

4. Coordinated Disclosure

The vendor releases the patch and simultaneously publishes the CVE details. Apple’s security release notes link each fixed vulnerability to its CVE ID and provide a brief description.

5. NVD Enrichment

After public disclosure, the National Vulnerability Database adds a CVSS score, affected product identifiers (CPE), and reference links to the CVE record.

6. KEV Evaluation

If the vulnerability is confirmed to be actively exploited in the wild, CISA may add it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

How to Look Up CVEs

Apple Security Release Notes

Apple publishes security content for each update at support.apple.com/en-us/100100. Each entry lists CVE IDs with descriptions and credit to the reporting researcher.

NVD Search

The NIST National Vulnerability Database provides enriched CVE records with CVSS scores and affected platform details:

# Query the NVD API for a specific CVE
curl -s "https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2025-31200" \
  | jq '.vulnerabilities[0].cve | {id: .id, description: .descriptions[0].value, published: .published}'

CVE.org

The official CVE record database at cve.org provides the canonical entry for each CVE, including references, descriptions, and CNA information.

Checking Your Mac’s Patch Status

When a new set of Apple CVEs is disclosed, the first question is whether your devices are protected. Use these commands to assess your fleet:

# Check current macOS version
sw_vers
# Example output:
# ProductName:     macOS
# ProductVersion:  15.3.1
# BuildVersion:    24D70

# Check current iOS/macOS build number (useful for RSRs)
sw_vers -buildVersion

# List available updates
softwareupdate --list

# Check when the last update was installed
softwareupdate --history

For fleet-wide visibility, query your MDM for devices running OS versions below the patched release. Cross-reference the Apple security release notes to determine which CVEs are fixed in each version.

Apple’s Security Update Process

Apple’s approach to CVE disclosure is distinctive:

• No advance notice – Apple does not pre-announce security updates or participate in “Patch Tuesday”-style schedules. Updates drop when they are ready.
• Minimal pre-patch detail – CVE records for Apple vulnerabilities are often sparse until the patch is released. Apple does not confirm or discuss unpatched vulnerabilities publicly.
• Rapid Security Responses (RSRs) – Starting with macOS Ventura, Apple can deliver targeted security fixes between major updates. These address critical CVEs without requiring a full OS update.
• Simultaneous multi-platform patches – When a WebKit CVE affects both macOS and iOS, Apple typically patches both platforms in the same disclosure cycle.

Real-World Apple CVE Examples

To illustrate how CVEs affect Mac administration:

• WebKit type confusion flaws – Vulnerabilities in Safari’s JavaScript engine that allow arbitrary code execution through malicious web content. These are frequently patched via RSRs.
• Kernel privilege escalation – XNU kernel bugs that allow a sandboxed application to gain root-level access. These often appear alongside WebKit flaws as part of exploit chains.
• TCC bypass vulnerabilities – Flaws that allow applications to access protected user data (camera, microphone, files) without proper authorization through the Transparency, Consent, and Control framework.

Each of these CVEs translates to a concrete action for Mac admins: deploy the patch, verify the deployment, and confirm remediation across the fleet.

Next Steps

• Learn how severity is scored: Understanding CVSS Scores
• See which CVEs are actively exploited: Understanding CISA KEVs
• Explore the enriched vulnerability database: What Is the NVD?