CVE-2019-7286
Apple Multiple Products Memory Corruption Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2019-7286 is a memory corruption vulnerability affecting multiple Apple products including iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. This vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit a memory corruption flaw to escalate privileges on affected devices. Apple confirmed that this vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild prior to patching, and CISA has included CVE-2019-7286 in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. With an EPSS percentile of 84.0%, this vulnerability represents a significant security risk across the broad Apple ecosystem.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| apple | iphone os | < 12.1.4 |
| apple | mac os x | < 10.14.3 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- https://support.apple.com/HT209520(Vendor Advisory)
- https://support.apple.com/HT209521(Vendor Advisory)
- https://support.apple.com/HT209601(Vendor Advisory)
- https://support.apple.com/HT209602(Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2019-7286(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-787 describes a weakness where a product writes data past the end or before the beginning of the intended buffer, which can lead to corruption of data, a crash, or code execution. In CVE-2019-7286, a memory corruption flaw in Apple's operating systems allows an attacker to write beyond buffer boundaries, enabling privilege escalation through manipulation of critical memory structures.
Learn more: CWE-787 — Out-of-bounds Write
Impact Analysis
CVE-2019-7286 is a memory corruption vulnerability that enables privilege escalation across Apple's iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS platforms. The broad scope of affected products means that iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and Apple TV devices are all potentially at risk. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to escalate from a sandboxed or limited-privilege context to gain elevated permissions, potentially achieving kernel-level access. This could enable an attacker to access sensitive user data, install persistent malware, bypass security restrictions, and monitor user activity without detection. The EPSS percentile of 84.0% indicates a high probability of exploitation. Apple acknowledged that this vulnerability was exploited in targeted attacks before patches were made available, underscoring the sophisticated threat actor interest in this flaw.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2019-7286 by including it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog with a remediation deadline of June 13, 2022. Apple acknowledged in its security advisory that CVE-2019-7286 may have been actively exploited prior to the release of patches, indicating zero-day exploitation by sophisticated threat actors. The EPSS percentile of 84.0% places this vulnerability among those with high real-world exploitation activity. Memory corruption vulnerabilities in Apple's operating systems are highly valued in the exploit marketplace and are commonly used in targeted surveillance campaigns against specific individuals or organizations.
Remediation
- Update all affected Apple devices to the latest available operating system versions that include the fix for CVE-2019-7286. Apply updates for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS as specified in Apple's security advisories.
- Enable automatic updates on all Apple devices to ensure timely patching of security vulnerabilities as they become available.
- For managed enterprise environments, use Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce OS version compliance and push security updates to all enrolled devices promptly.
- Monitor device logs for indicators of compromise, including unexpected privilege escalation attempts, unusual process behavior, or signs of jailbreak or root access on iOS devices.
- Implement defense-in-depth measures including restricting installation of untrusted applications, enforcing app sandboxing policies, and deploying endpoint security solutions capable of detecting memory corruption exploitation attempts on Apple platforms.
Technical Details
CVE-2019-7286 stems from a memory corruption flaw in a shared component across Apple's iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS operating systems. The vulnerability involves improper handling of objects in memory, where an attacker can trigger a condition that corrupts memory structures in a way that allows controlled writes to unintended memory locations. This type of memory corruption — consistent with an out-of-bounds write weakness — enables the attacker to overwrite critical data structures such as function pointers or privilege tokens, ultimately achieving code execution at an elevated privilege level. The attack surface spans multiple Apple platforms, indicating the vulnerability resides in a core framework or system component shared across these operating systems. Exploitation typically requires the attacker to deliver a specially crafted input to the vulnerable component, which can occur through various vectors including malicious web content, crafted documents, or application-level triggers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2019-7286 being actively exploited?
Yes, CVE-2019-7286 has been actively exploited. Apple confirmed that the vulnerability may have been exploited before patches were available, and CISA has included it in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS percentile of 84.0% further indicates high exploitation activity.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-7286?
CVE-2019-7286 affects multiple Apple products including iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. This means iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and Apple TV devices are all potentially vulnerable. Users should consult Apple's security advisories for specific affected versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-7286?
Update all Apple devices to the latest operating system versions that contain the fix for CVE-2019-7286. Enable automatic updates to ensure timely patching. For enterprise environments, use MDM solutions to enforce OS version compliance across all managed devices.
How severe is CVE-2019-7286?
CVE-2019-7286 is a serious memory corruption vulnerability enabling privilege escalation across the Apple ecosystem. Its EPSS percentile of 84.0% and confirmed zero-day exploitation status indicate high severity. The broad range of affected platforms amplifies the risk significantly.
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