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CVE-2022-26770VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2022-26770: Apple Security Update – Catalina · A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Affects Apple Security Update – CatalinaSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
1.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 65% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 2026-10-25.

What to do

AI-suggested

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation strategy beyond simply applying the available patches. First and foremost, ensure that all Apple devices are updated to the latest security patches, specifically Security Update 2022-004 for Catalina, macOS Monterey 12.4, and Big Sur 11.6.6 or later. Enforce strict application control policies using tools like Apple’s Gatekeeper and System Integrity Protection (SIP) to prevent unauthorized or unsigned applications from executing. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted applications and implement phishing awareness training to reduce the likelihood of social engineering attacks that could trigger exploitation. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring kernel-level activities to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Limit the use of administrative privileges and implement the principle of least privilege to reduce the potential impact of a compromised account. Additionally, conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments on macOS devices to ensure compliance and identify any unpatched systems. For organizations with critical infrastructure, consider network segmentation to isolate Apple devices and restrict their access to sensitive systems and data.

Description

An out-of-bounds read issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in Security Update 2022-004 Catalina, macOS Monterey 12.4, macOS Big Sur 11.6.6. A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

References

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