Cyber Posture

CVE-2022-43454

High

Published: 10 March 2025

Published
10 March 2025
Modified
24 March 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0005 16.7th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Description

Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.

Security Summary

CVE-2022-43454 is a double free vulnerability (CWE-415) addressed through improved memory management in Apple's operating systems. It affects macOS Ventura prior to version 13.1, watchOS prior to 9.2, iOS prior to 16.2, iPadOS prior to 16.2, and tvOS prior to 16.2. The issue enables an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, earning a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

A local attacker with no privileges required can exploit this vulnerability with low complexity, though it necessitates user interaction. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary kernel code execution, resulting in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability within the local attack surface.

Apple security advisories, including those at https://support.apple.com/en-us/102741, https://support.apple.com/en-us/102807, https://support.apple.com/en-us/102808, and https://support.apple.com/en-us/102836, confirm the issue was fixed in macOS Ventura 13.1, watchOS 9.2, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and tvOS 16.2. Mitigation requires updating affected devices to these patched versions.

Details

CWE(s)
CWE-415

Affected Products

apple
ipados
≤ 16.2
apple
iphone os
≤ 16.2
apple
macos
≤ 13.1
apple
tvos
≤ 16.2
apple
watchos
≤ 9.2

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
Why these techniques?

Double-free memory corruption enables arbitrary kernel code execution from a local app, directly mapping to exploitation for privilege escalation.

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

References