CVE-2022-46700 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2022
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved input validation. 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 lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2025
This memory corruption vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Apple's web rendering engine that could enable remote code execution through maliciously crafted web content. The issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within Safari's processing pipeline, allowing attackers to manipulate memory structures through carefully constructed web pages. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple operating systems including macOS Ventura, iOS 15.7.2 and 16.2, iPadOS 15.7.2 and 16.2, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2, indicating a widespread impact across Apple's ecosystem. The memory corruption occurs during web content processing, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical memory regions and execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common CWE categories related to memory safety issues, specifically CWE-121 and CWE-122 which address stack and heap buffer overflows respectively. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with use-after-free vulnerabilities and buffer overflows that are frequently targeted in zero-day exploits. Attackers could leverage this weakness by hosting malicious web content that triggers the vulnerable code path when users visit compromised websites. The exploitation process would likely involve crafting specific HTML elements, JavaScript code, or multimedia content that causes the browser to allocate or access memory in unexpected ways, ultimately leading to code execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to enterprise and individual users alike as it requires no user interaction beyond visiting a malicious website, making it particularly dangerous in phishing campaigns or compromised websites. The attack vector through web content processing means that users could be compromised simply by browsing the internet, making this a persistent threat. Organizations should consider the potential for lateral movement and privilege escalation if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, as it could provide a foothold for more extensive attacks. The impact extends beyond individual devices to potentially affect network infrastructure, as compromised devices could serve as entry points for broader attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment across all affected Apple platforms, with particular attention to enterprise environments where device management systems can enforce automatic updates. Network administrators should consider implementing web filtering solutions and monitoring for suspicious web traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also prepare incident response procedures that account for potential code execution capabilities, including forensic analysis capabilities to detect compromise indicators. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patches in controlled environments before widespread deployment, ensuring that critical business applications remain functional while addressing the security vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as sandboxing mechanisms and privilege separation to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.