CVE-2022-22620: Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Webkit Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-22620 is a high (CVSS 8.8) Use After Free vulnerability in Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 11-02-2022. EPSS estimates a 16.34% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 96.9% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 11-02-2022
   Added to CISA KEVApple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Webkit Use-After-Free Vulnerability
2. 25-02-2022
   CISA remediation dueApply updates per vendor instructions.
3. 18-03-2022
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
4. 21-10-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.2.1, iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1, Safari 15.3 (v. 16612.4.9.1.8 and 15612.4.9.1.8). Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited..

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.