Local privilege escalation via PackageKit state mismanagement
Published Feb 27, 2023 · Updated Mar 11, 2025
Local privilege escalation in PackageKit in Apple macOS before Big Sur 11.7 and Monterey 12.6 allows local users to gain elevated privileges. Apple identifies a logic error in PackageKit state management but has not disclosed the affected function, state transition, or input handling. Execution of a local application is required; the published impact is privilege elevation, with no more specific privilege boundary described.
Summary
What happened
Local privilege escalation in PackageKit in Apple macOS before Big Sur 11.7 and Monterey 12.6 allows local users to gain elevated privileges. Apple identifies a logic error in PackageKit state management but has not disclosed the affected function, state transition, or input handling. Execution of a local application is required; the published impact is privilege elevation, with no more specific privilege boundary described.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-32900
- Published
- Feb 27, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 11, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- CWE-269, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
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 <11.7
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.6
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.
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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