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CVE-2022-26765VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2022-26765: Apple watchOS · Race Condition

Affects Apple watchOSSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.7 Medium : upgrade to 8.6 when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
4.7Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 10% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 8.6
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 26 May 2022

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.

What to do

Upgrade Apple watchOS to 8.6.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Apple watchOSAffected
  • <8.6
Fixed in
  • 8.6

AI-suggested

European organizations should ensure that all Apple devices, including Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs, are updated promptly to the patched OS versions: watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5, macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5, and iPadOS 15.5 or later. Given the requirement for local access and arbitrary read/write capabilities, organizations should enforce strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized device access. Implementing Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions can help enforce timely updates and monitor device compliance. Additionally, organizations should restrict the installation of untrusted applications and monitor for unusual device behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Employee awareness training about the risks of device theft or unauthorized access can further reduce exposure. For high-security environments, consider limiting the use of Apple Watches or other vulnerable devices where possible until patches are applied.

Description

A race condition was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in watchOS 8.6, tvOS 15.5, macOS Monterey 12.4, iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5. A malicious attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication.

References

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