CVE-2019-8526
Apple macOS Use-After-Free Vulnerability
Apple macOS
A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Mojave 10.14.4. An application may be able to gain elevated privileges.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 17 April 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 8 May 2023.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 0.7%, which is higher than 53.6% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2019-8526 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2019-8526.
What does CVE-2019-8526 affect?
CVE-2019-8526 affects Apple macOS. A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Mojave 10.14.4. An application may be able to gain elevated privileges.
How severe is CVE-2019-8526?
CVE-2019-8526 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.7%, higher than 53.6% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 8 May 2023.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2019-8526?
Apply the vendor patch for Apple macOS as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.