Kernel code execution via undisclosed memory handling
Published Nov 1, 2022 · Updated May 5, 2025
Memory-handling issue in Apple Neural Engine in macOS before 13 and watchOS before 9 allows local users to execute code with kernel privileges. Apple states only that improved memory handling corrected the component and has not disclosed the faulty operation or attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires a user to run an app on an affected device, after which the app gains kernel-level code execution.
Summary
What happened
Memory-handling issue in Apple Neural Engine in macOS before 13 and watchOS before 9 allows local users to execute code with kernel privileges. Apple states only that improved memory handling corrected the component and has not disclosed the faulty operation or attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires a user to run an app on an affected device, after which the app gains kernel-level code execution.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-32899
- 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
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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 <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
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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