CVE-2022-26691

Root code execution via empty authentication string

Published May 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Local privilege escalation in CUPS on affected Apple macOS releases allows local users to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The ctcompare() routine in scheduler/cert.c treats an empty string as equal to the 32-byte Local Authentication secret because it stops when either input ends without checking their lengths. Any authenticated local user can submit the empty credential, authenticate to CUPS as root, and then execute code with root privileges.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
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

Local privilege escalation in CUPS on affected Apple macOS releases allows local users to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The ctcompare() routine in scheduler/cert.c treats an empty string as equal to the 32-byte Local Authentication secret because it stops when either input ends without checking their lengths. Any authenticated local user can submit the empty credential, authenticate to CUPS as root, and then execute code with root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-26691
Published
May 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-288, CWE-697, 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

6.7NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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-288Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel
CWE-697Incorrect Comparison
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

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