CVE-2022-26765 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 05/27/2022
A race condition was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5, macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5. A malicious attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-26765 represents a race condition flaw that was successfully addressed through enhanced state management mechanisms within Apple's operating systems. This issue affects multiple platforms including watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5, macOS Monterey 12.4, and iOS 15.5 along with iPadOS 15.5, demonstrating the widespread nature of the vulnerability across Apple's ecosystem. The race condition occurs when multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared resources simultaneously, creating a window where the system's state becomes inconsistent and potentially exploitable.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate synchronization mechanisms that allow for concurrent access to critical system components without proper state validation. This race condition creates opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate system behavior by exploiting the timing window between state checks and actual operations. The vulnerability specifically targets Pointer Authentication mechanisms which are critical security features designed to prevent unauthorized code execution and ensure that pointers used in memory operations are valid and authentic. When these mechanisms are bypassed, attackers gain the ability to manipulate pointer values and potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-26765 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it represents a fundamental weakness in the system's security architecture that could enable sophisticated attacks. Attackers with arbitrary read and write capabilities can leverage this race condition to bypass critical security protections, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-362, which describes race conditions in concurrent programming environments where multiple threads or processes access shared resources without proper synchronization. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to manipulate system memory and bypass the pointer authentication checks that are essential for maintaining system integrity and preventing code injection attacks.
The remediation implemented in the affected versions addresses the underlying race condition through improved state handling mechanisms that ensure proper synchronization between concurrent operations. This fix prevents the timing windows that previously allowed attackers to exploit the vulnerability by ensuring that system state transitions occur atomically and consistently. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected systems to the patched versions to eliminate the risk of exploitation, particularly given the potential for arbitrary read and write capabilities that could enable sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper concurrency control in security-sensitive systems and highlights the need for continuous security auditing of system state management mechanisms. This issue falls under the ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves exploiting legitimate credentials or capabilities to gain system access, and specifically relates to T1550 which covers use of valid accounts to bypass security controls, as the vulnerability enables bypassing pointer authentication mechanisms that protect against such attacks.