#VU63276 UNIX symbolic link following in macOS - CVE-2022-26704

Vulnerability identifier: #VU63276

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 1.1 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2022-26704

CWE-ID: CWE-61

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
macOS
Operating systems & Components / Operating system

Vendor: Apple Inc.

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to a symlink following issue in Spotlight. A local user can create a specially crafted symbolic link to a critical file on the system and overwrite it with privileges of the application.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in privilege escalation.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

macOS: 12.0 21A344 - 12.3.1 21E258

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External links
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213257

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.