CVE-2022-26688

System-file overwrite via PackageKit symlink following

Published May 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper link resolution in PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to overwrite system files through a crafted symbolic link. PackageKit follows an attacker-created link in PKCoreShove and lets its privileged service write to the link target without sufficient validation. Public sources disagree on the gate: Apple requires a malicious app with root privileges, while ZDI reports low-privileged code is sufficient to bypass System Integrity Protection.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to overwrite system files through a crafted symbolic link. PackageKit follows an attacker-created link in PKCoreShove and lets its privileged service write to the link target without sufficient validation. Public sources disagree on the gate: Apple requires a malicious app with root privileges, while ZDI reports low-privileged code is sufficient to bypass System Integrity Protection.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-26688
Published
May 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 26, 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 <11.6
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.3
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <2022

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.6; version=unspecified <12.3; version=unspecified <2022

Published CVSS scores

4.4NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:N

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 exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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