System-privilege code execution via DriverKit bounds failure
Published May 26, 2022 · Updated May 30, 2025
An out-of-bounds access in Apple watchOS before 8.6 allows local users to execute arbitrary code with system privileges via a malicious application. The DriverKit component performs insufficient bounds checking when handling application-controlled data, permitting memory access outside the intended buffer. Exploitation requires installation and execution of a malicious application on a compatible Apple Watch; the resulting compromise can reach system-privilege code execution.
Summary
What happened
An out-of-bounds access in Apple watchOS before 8.6 allows local users to execute arbitrary code with system privileges via a malicious application. The DriverKit component performs insufficient bounds checking when handling application-controlled data, permitting memory access outside the intended buffer. Exploitation requires installation and execution of a malicious application on a compatible Apple Watch; the resulting compromise can reach system-privilege code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-26763
- Published
- May 26, 2022
- Updated
- May 30, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- watchOS
- Classifications
- CWE-119, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 26, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 30, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <11.6
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.4
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.5
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <2022
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <8.6
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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