CVE-2022-42852 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2022
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in Safari 16.2, tvOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, iOS 15.7.2 and iPadOS 15.7.2, iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, watchOS 9.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may result in the disclosure of process memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2025
This vulnerability represents a memory safety issue that was resolved through enhanced memory handling mechanisms within Apple's web rendering engines. The flaw existed in multiple operating system versions including Safari 16.2, tvOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, and various iOS and iPadOS releases. The vulnerability classification aligns with common memory corruption patterns that can lead to information disclosure, specifically through process memory exposure. The issue was particularly concerning as it could be triggered by processing maliciously crafted web content, making it a significant threat vector for remote code execution or data leakage scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involved improper memory management during web content rendering operations, potentially through buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or other memory corruption patterns. Such flaws typically occur when web browsers fail to properly validate or sanitize input data from web pages, allowing attackers to craft specific content that exploits memory handling deficiencies in the browser engine. The fix implemented by Apple involved strengthening memory allocation and deallocation routines, likely incorporating additional bounds checking and memory validation mechanisms that prevent unauthorized access to process memory spaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as process memory often contains sensitive data including user credentials, session tokens, application state information, and other confidential elements. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to extract cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other valuable data from running browser processes. The cross-platform nature of the affected systems means that organizations with Apple device ecosystems face widespread exposure, particularly in environments where users regularly access untrusted web content. This vulnerability particularly impacts enterprise environments where users may encounter malicious websites through phishing campaigns or compromised web applications.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate deployment of the patched versions across all affected systems, including Safari, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS installations. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls and content filtering solutions to reduce exposure to malicious web content. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to memory disclosure attacks and implement process isolation techniques where possible. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping browser software updated and highlights the need for continuous security monitoring in Apple ecosystem environments. This type of vulnerability is often categorized under CWE-122 (Heap Overflow) or CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) patterns and may be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving credential access through memory scraping or information discovery through process enumeration.