Pointer Authentication bypass via kernel state race
Published Feb 27, 2023 · Updated Mar 11, 2025
A kernel race in Apple tvOS before 15.6 and watchOS before 8.7 allows local users to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple identifies faulty kernel state handling as a race condition but has not disclosed the affected function or state transition. Exploitation requires an app that already has arbitrary kernel read and write capability, and the bounded result is bypass of a control-flow integrity defense.
Summary
What happened
A kernel race in Apple tvOS before 15.6 and watchOS before 8.7 allows local users to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple identifies faulty kernel state handling as a race condition but has not disclosed the affected function or state transition. Exploitation requires an app that already has arbitrary kernel read and write capability, and the bounded result is bypass of a control-flow integrity defense.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-32844
- Published
- Feb 27, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 11, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- tvOS
- Classifications
- CWE-362, T1211
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 11, 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 <15.6
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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