Kernel code execution via unchecked model plane count
Published Nov 1, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025
Memory corruption in Apple Neural Engine in Apple macOS before 13 and watchOS before 9 allows attackers to execute kernel code. ANE_ProgramCreate_gated passes a model-controlled plane count to parsers that copy kernel pointers past a four-element planes array. A user must run the app; the flaw is reachable from the default app sandbox once ANECompilerService compiles the model, and success grants kernel privileges.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in Apple Neural Engine in Apple macOS before 13 and watchOS before 9 allows attackers to execute kernel code. ANE_ProgramCreate_gated passes a model-controlled plane count to parsers that copy kernel pointers past a four-element planes array. A user must run the app; the flaw is reachable from the default app sandbox once ANECompilerService compiles the model, and success grants kernel privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-32898
- Published
- Nov 1, 2022
- Updated
- May 5, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Nov 1, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 5, 2025Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <13
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.7
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <16
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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
- ANE_ProgramCreate multiple kernel memory corruption proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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
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