Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Pointer Authentication (PAC) Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2022-48618, CISA KEV)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTApple operating systems prior to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, watchOS 9.2, and tvOS 16.2
A local attacker with arbitrary read and write capabilities can bypass Pointer Authentication (PAC) to achieve full kernel-level code execution
Immediately update affected devices to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, or later versions
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply official security updates immediately. For enterprise macOS environments, administrators can force software updates remotely using the following terminal commands:
# List available software updates
softwareupdate -l
# Download and install the latest macOS updates and restart automatically
sudo softwareupdate -i -a --restart2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
For mobile devices (iOS/iPadOS) where immediate patching is not feasible, enforce strict MDM policies to restrict sideloading of untrusted applications. On macOS, ensure System Integrity Protection (SIP) is enabled to prevent unauthorized kernel-level modifications.
# Verify System Integrity Protection (SIP) status on macOS
csrutil status
# If disabled, boot into Recovery Mode and run the following command in the terminal:
# csrutil enable3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following script to audit macOS endpoints and identify vulnerable operating system versions within your fleet:
# Script to check macOS version and build metadata
os_version=$(sw_vers -productVersion)
build_version=$(sw_vers -buildVersion)
echo 'Detected macOS Version:' $os_version
echo 'Detected Build Version:' $build_version
# Flag vulnerable macOS Ventura versions below 13.1
if [[ '$os_version' =~ ^13\.0 ]]; then
echo '[WARNING] Vulnerable to CVE-2022-48618. Immediate update required.'
else
echo '[INFO] Device is patched or running a non-vulnerable major release.'
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2022-48618) is a race condition / validation bypass issue within the Pointer Authentication (PAC) mechanism of the Apple kernel. PAC is a hardware-assisted security feature designed to detect and prevent unauthorized modification of pointers in memory. However, due to insufficient validation checks during specific memory mapping or system call routines, a Time-of-Check to Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) window was exposed, allowing validated pointers to be manipulated before execution.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must first obtain arbitrary read and write capabilities within the system (often via a separate user-space or lower-level kernel exploit). Once this capability is established, the attacker targets the timing window between the kernel's verification of a pointer's cryptographic signature and its actual dereference. By racing the kernel to overwrite the pointer during this window, the attacker successfully bypasses PAC validation, enabling arbitrary kernel-mode execution.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As this vulnerability is listed in the CISA KEV catalog, there are active reports of this issue being exploited in the wild against iOS versions prior to iOS 15.7.1. Successful exploitation allows attackers to completely escape application sandboxes, compromise the kernel, decrypt sensitive keychain data, and establish persistent unauthorized access on enterprise-managed endpoints.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Ventura 13.1, watchOS 9.2, iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, tvOS 16.2. An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.7.1.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2022-48618)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2022-48618 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2022-48618 is rated CVSS 7.0 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 0.5%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2022-48618?
Primary impacted vendors include apple across ios, ipados, macos, watchos, tvos. Scope summary: Systems running iOS < 16.2, iPadOS < 16.2, macOS Ventura < 13.1, watchOS < 9.2, tvOS < 16.2
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2022-48618 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately update affected devices to iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, or later versions Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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