CVE-2022-32811 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2022
A memory corruption vulnerability was addressed with improved locking. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.5, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8, Security Update 2022-005 Catalina. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
This memory corruption vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that could enable malicious applications to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions. The issue stems from inadequate memory management controls within the operating system's kernel components, specifically related to how shared resources are accessed and modified. The vulnerability was addressed through enhanced locking mechanisms that prevent concurrent access violations and ensure proper memory boundaries are maintained during kernel operations. The affected systems include macOS Monterey 12.5, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8, and Security Update 2022-005 for Catalina, indicating this flaw impacted multiple versions of Apple's operating system architecture. The memory corruption aspect of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which addresses improper handling of memory access violations, and CWE-131, which covers incorrect calculation of memory buffer sizes. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant attack surface where a malicious application could exploit the memory corruption to gain unauthorized kernel access, potentially allowing for complete system compromise and persistent backdoor access.
The technical implementation of this flaw likely involves race conditions or improper synchronization between kernel threads accessing shared memory regions. When multiple processes or threads attempt to modify the same memory location simultaneously without proper locking protocols, the system can enter an inconsistent state where memory corruption occurs. This type of vulnerability typically manifests through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or double-free errors that occur when memory management routines fail to properly coordinate access. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1068, which covers local privilege escalation techniques, and T1547, which addresses boot or logon initialization scripts. The fix implemented by Apple involved strengthening the locking mechanisms to ensure proper mutual exclusion when kernel resources are accessed, preventing concurrent modifications that could lead to memory corruption. This approach aligns with secure coding practices that emphasize proper resource management and thread synchronization in kernel-level code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential system compromise and data exfiltration capabilities. Once an attacker gains kernel-level privileges through this memory corruption flaw, they can bypass all standard security controls including sandboxing, code signing enforcement, and system integrity protection mechanisms. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by malware designed to remain undetected while maintaining full system control. Organizations deploying affected macOS versions face significant risk of advanced persistent threats targeting their endpoints, particularly in environments where users may inadvertently execute malicious applications. The remediation process requires immediate deployment of the security updates, but the vulnerability's nature means that systems not patched within a reasonable timeframe could be compromised. Security professionals must consider this vulnerability as part of their overall endpoint protection strategy, implementing monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activities and ensuring proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent exploitation. The fix demonstrates Apple's approach to addressing kernel-level memory management issues through enhanced synchronization primitives that prevent the conditions leading to memory corruption and privilege escalation attacks.