External risk intelligence

Apple Safari and macOS Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2022-32893

A vulnerability in Apple operating systems and Safari allows for arbitrary code execution via malicious web content, posing significant business risk. The flaw could enable attackers to gain control of affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches and service disruption. Reports indicate this vulnerability may

4Halo Surface Signal

Out-of-bounds Write

Apple Safari

before 15.6.112.0 to before 12.5.1353610.011.0before 2.36.7

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2022-32893

The vulnerability affects web browsers and browser engines (Safari, WebKitGTK, WPE WebKit) which are specifically designed to process untrusted web content from the public internet. As these applications are standard tools for browsing public websites, the exposure surface is inherently internet-facing during normal operation.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A vulnerability exists within certain Apple operating systems and the Safari browser. This flaw may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code by tricking an organization's systems into processing specially crafted web content. If exploited, this could lead to significant business risk.

  • Vulnerable Apple operating systems and Safari.
  • Flaw allows arbitrary code execution.
  • Creates significant business risk.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit an out-of-bounds write vulnerability by crafting malicious web content. Processing this content could lead to arbitrary code execution, granting the attacker control over the affected system. This vulnerability has reportedly been actively exploited.

  • Exposure condition: Malicious web content
  • Attacker starting point: Network access
  • Trigger and result: Process content; gain control

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations utilizing affected Apple devices and software. Attackers with a low skill level could potentially execute malicious code on a device by tricking a user into visiting a compromised website. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services, or the installation of further malware. Given that the issue has reportedly been actively exploited, organizations should consider this a high-priority concern.

  • Low skill attacker exploitability.
  • Requires user interaction via web content.
  • High business risk and urgency.

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

An out-of-bounds write vulnerability has been identified in Apple products and Safari. This issue may allow for arbitrary code execution if an organization's systems process maliciously crafted web content. Apple has indicated that this vulnerability may have been actively exploited in the wild.

  • Identify affected systems and software.
  • Limit access to vulnerable applications.
  • Apply vendor updates and verify fixes.

Frequently asked questions

What is Safari and how is it used?

Safari is a web browser developed by Apple for its operating systems like macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. It's used for accessing and navigating websites on the internet, similar to other browsers like Chrome or Firefox.

What kind of weakness does CVE-2022-32893 represent?

CVE-2022-32893 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability, categorized under CWE-787. This means a program attempted to write data outside the allocated memory buffer, which can lead to system instability or, in this case, arbitrary code execution.

How can an attacker trigger this vulnerability?

An attacker can trigger this vulnerability by tricking a user into processing maliciously crafted web content. The vulnerability is not triggered if the malicious content is not processed, and it requires the user to interact with such content.

How relevant is CVE-2022-32893 to my organization?

This vulnerability is relevant if your organization uses Apple devices with affected versions of macOS, iOS, or iPadOS, and the Safari browser. Given its internet-facing nature when browsing the web, it poses a significant risk for potential exploitation [cite: Halo Surface Signal].

What should I do if my organization runs affected Apple technology?

The immediate first step is to identify all affected systems and software. Then, apply the vendor-provided updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari to fix the vulnerability, and verify that the updates have been successfully applied.

References