CVE-2022-22585Known exploitation

Application file access via symlink path validation

Published Mar 18, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Path validation flaw in Apple iCloud on iOS and iPadOS before 15.3 allows local users to access files via crafted symlinks. The iCloud path-validation logic accepted symlink paths without sufficient sanitization, allowing an application to traverse to files outside the intended location. Exploitation requires a malicious application running on the affected device, and the documented consequence is unauthorized file access rather than code execution or service interruption.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability1.65%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Path validation flaw in Apple iCloud on iOS and iPadOS before 15.3 allows local users to access files via crafted symlinks. The iCloud path-validation logic accepted symlink paths without sufficient sanitization, allowing an application to traverse to files outside the intended location. Exploitation requires a malicious application running on the affected device, and the documented consequence is unauthorized file access rather than code execution or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-22585
Published
Mar 18, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
T1083
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 18, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <15.3
Apple · tvOSversion=unspecified <15.3
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.6; version=unspecified <12.2
Apple · watchOSversion=unspecified <8.4

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1083File and Directory Discovery

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo