CVE-2022-42845 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Apple macOS and related operating systems, including tvOS, iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. The flaw arises from improper memory handling within the kernel, which can be exploited by an application that already has root privileges to escalate its privileges further and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-787, which pertains to out-of-bounds writes or memory corruption issues. The kernel is the core component of the operating system responsible for managing hardware and system resources; thus, gaining kernel privileges effectively grants an attacker complete control over the affected system. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L), but requires that the attacker already has high-level privileges (PR:H). The scope of the vulnerability is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system are all rated as highly impacted (C:H/I:H/A:H). Apple addressed this issue by improving memory handling in the affected components and released patches in macOS Monterey 12.6.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, macOS Big Sur 11.7.2, tvOS 16.2, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date, but the potential for severe impact remains significant if exploited. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows privilege escalation from root user to kernel level, bypassing typical security boundaries and potentially enabling persistent and stealthy control over the system.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42845 can be substantial, especially for those relying on Apple macOS and related devices in their IT infrastructure. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that use Apple devices for sensitive operations could face severe confidentiality breaches, data integrity violations, and system availability disruptions if this vulnerability is exploited. An attacker gaining kernel-level control can install persistent malware, disable security controls, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt critical services. Given the high privileges required to exploit this vulnerability, insider threats or compromised administrative accounts pose the greatest risk. The lack of known exploits in the wild suggests that immediate widespread attacks are unlikely, but the vulnerability remains a high-value target for advanced persistent threat (APT) actors aiming for stealthy, high-impact intrusions. The cross-platform nature of the vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems increases the attack surface for organizations with diverse Apple device deployments. Failure to patch promptly could lead to significant operational and reputational damage, regulatory penalties under GDPR for data breaches, and increased costs related to incident response and remediation.

1. Immediate deployment of the official patches released by Apple for all affected operating systems (macOS Monterey 12.6.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, macOS Big Sur 11.7.2, tvOS 16.2, iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, watchOS 9.2) is critical. 2. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems with root-level access to prevent unauthorized use of privileged accounts. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous kernel-level activity or privilege escalation attempts on Apple devices. 4. Conduct regular audits of privileged accounts and enforce the principle of least privilege to minimize the number of applications or users with root access. 5. Use application whitelisting and code-signing enforcement to restrict execution of unauthorized or suspicious applications. 6. Monitor system logs and kernel events for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Educate system administrators and users with elevated privileges about the risks of running untrusted applications with root access. 8. For organizations with mobile device management (MDM) solutions, enforce timely updates and patch management policies for all Apple devices. 9. Consider network segmentation to isolate critical Apple systems and limit lateral movement in case of compromise. These measures, combined with patching, will reduce the likelihood and impact of exploitation.