CVE-2022-32900 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 02/27/2023
A logic issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.6, macOS Big Sur 11.7. An app may be able to gain elevated privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2026
This vulnerability represents a logic flaw in apple's operating system that stems from inadequate state management within the kernel or system frameworks. The issue allows malicious applications to potentially escalate their privileges beyond normal user boundaries, creating a significant security risk for systems running affected versions of macOS. The vulnerability exists in the fundamental way the operating system manages application states and permissions, particularly around privilege boundaries between user space and kernel space operations. Attackers could exploit this weakness to elevate their privileges from standard user level to administrator or root level access, bypassing normal security controls that should prevent such escalation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation flaws, which are commonly categorized as cwe-264 in the common weakness enumeration system. This classification indicates issues with permissions and access control mechanisms within the operating system. The flaw likely involves improper validation of application states or insufficient checks during privilege transitions that allow an application to manipulate its own execution context or that of other processes. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core system components that manage how applications interact with system resources and execute with elevated privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it could enable attackers to gain complete control over affected systems. Once elevated privileges are obtained, malicious actors could access sensitive user data, modify system configurations, install persistent backdoors, or disable security features entirely. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems, making it a critical concern for organizations relying on apple's ecosystem. The attack surface is broad since any application running on the affected systems could potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to system resources that should be restricted to privileged processes only.
The fix for this vulnerability was implemented through improved state management protocols within the operating system kernel. Apple addressed the issue by strengthening the validation mechanisms that control how applications transition between different privilege levels and by enhancing the monitoring of state changes that could indicate malicious manipulation attempts. The resolution specifically targeted the logic flaws in how system resources are allocated and managed during application execution, ensuring that privilege boundaries are properly enforced and maintained. This type of fix typically involves implementing additional checks and balances within the kernel's privilege management subsystem, which aligns with recommended practices from the mitre attack framework where such vulnerabilities are categorized under privilege escalation techniques. Organizations should prioritize updating to macOS Monterey 12.6 or macOS Big Sur 11.7 to remediate this vulnerability, as these versions contain the necessary state management improvements that prevent the exploitation of this logic flaw.