CVE-2022-46699 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2022
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in Safari 16.2, tvOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, watchOS 9.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2025
This vulnerability represents a memory corruption flaw that affects Apple's web browsing ecosystem across multiple operating systems including Safari, iOS, macOS, and watchOS. The issue stems from inadequate state management during web content processing, creating potential attack vectors for remote code execution. The vulnerability was specifically addressed through enhanced state management protocols in Apple's security updates released alongside versions 16.2 for Safari, 16.2 for tvOS, 13.1 for macOS Ventura, 16.2 for iOS, 16.2 for iPadOS, and 9.2 for watchOS. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with memory safety issues commonly classified under CWE-122, which deals with heap-based buffer overflows, and CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions that can lead to memory corruption. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious web content that, when processed by the affected browsers, triggers memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across Apple's entire ecosystem of devices that utilize WebKit rendering engine, making it particularly concerning for enterprise and individual users alike. The attack surface includes any device running the affected software versions, encompassing iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, Apple Watches, and Apple TV devices. Security researchers have identified that this vulnerability could be leveraged through drive-by downloads, malicious websites, or compromised web applications that render content in Safari or other affected browsers. The remote exploitation capability means that users do not need to interact with malicious content directly, as simply visiting a compromised website could trigger the vulnerability. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers exploitation for privilege escalation through web-based attacks.
The remediation approach taken by Apple involved implementing improved state management mechanisms that prevent the memory corruption from occurring during web content processing. This fix likely includes enhanced input validation, better memory allocation controls, and more robust state tracking during browser operations. The update requirements span across multiple platforms, indicating a comprehensive approach to patching the vulnerability throughout Apple's ecosystem. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these security updates to protect their users from potential exploitation, as the vulnerability could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to devices and potentially escalate privileges. The fix addresses fundamental memory management issues that could otherwise allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected browser process, making it a critical security update for all affected systems.