CVE-2022-32826 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/23/2022
An authorization issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8, watchOS 8.7, tvOS 15.6, macOS Monterey 12.5, Security Update 2022-005 Catalina. An app may be able to gain root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/22/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw that stems from inadequate state management within Apple's operating systems. The issue manifests as a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows malicious applications to potentially attain root privileges on affected systems. The problem lies in how the operating system handles authorization states and permissions, creating a pathway for unauthorized code execution with elevated privileges. Such vulnerabilities typically arise when the system fails to properly validate or maintain the security context of processes, leading to potential bypasses of access controls that should normally prevent unauthorized escalation.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with common authorization bypass patterns found in operating system security models, particularly those related to improper state transitions between user and kernel modes. This type of vulnerability often relates to CWE-284 which describes improper access control mechanisms, or CWE-276 which addresses improper privilege management. The issue affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS versions, watchOS, and tvOS, indicating a systemic problem within the underlying security architecture rather than a platform-specific quirk. The vulnerability's presence across such a broad ecosystem suggests that the root cause exists in shared kernel components or core security frameworks that are utilized across all affected platforms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides a potential pathway for attackers to gain complete system control. When an application can escalate to root privileges, it effectively bypasses all traditional security boundaries and can access, modify, or exfiltrate any data on the system. This creates a significant risk for users who may unknowingly install malicious applications or who are targeted by sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability could enable persistent backdoors, data theft, system corruption, or complete system compromise, making it a high-priority issue for all system administrators and security professionals managing Apple devices.
Apple's resolution of this issue through the specified security updates demonstrates their recognition of the severity of the problem. The patches included in iOS 15.6, iPadOS 15.6, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8, watchOS 8.7, tvOS 15.6, and macOS Monterey 12.5 address the underlying state management issues that allowed unauthorized privilege escalation. These updates likely implement stricter validation of authorization states, improved session management, and enhanced checks on privilege transitions within the kernel. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected systems and monitor for any indicators of compromise that might have occurred before the patches were applied. The remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion, emphasizing the importance of maintaining proper access controls and system integrity checks.