CVE-2021-31010
Apple iOS, macOS, watchOS Sandbox Bypass Vulnerability
Apple iOS, macOS, watchOS
A deserialization issue was addressed through improved validation. This issue is fixed in Security Update 2021-005 Catalina, iOS 12.5.5, iOS 14.8 and iPadOS 14.8, macOS Big Sur 11.6, watchOS 7.6.2. A sandboxed process may be able to circumvent sandbox restrictions. Apple was aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited at the time of release..
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 25 August 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 15 September 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 3.4%, which is higher than 88.9% 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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2021-31010 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2021-31010.
What does CVE-2021-31010 affect?
CVE-2021-31010 affects Apple iOS, macOS, watchOS. A deserialization issue was addressed through improved validation. This issue is fixed in Security Update 2021-005 Catalina, iOS 12.5.5, iOS 14.8 and iPadOS 14.8, macOS Big Sur 11.6, watchOS 7.6.2. A sandboxed process may be able to circumvent sandbox restrictions. Apple was aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited at the time of release..
How severe is CVE-2021-31010?
CVE-2021-31010 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 3.4%, higher than 88.9% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 15 September 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2021-31010?
Apply the vendor patch for Apple iOS, macOS, watchOS 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.