Actively exploited vulnerability
Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS: improper access control flaw under attack
CVE-2020-9934 · Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Input Validation Vulnerability
What is affected
Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS is found on ordinary personal computers and phones, so this is not only a problem for companies. If you use it and have not updated since the fix was released, you are exposed.
Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS contain an unspecified vulnerability involving input validation which can allow a local attacker to view sensitive user information.
What an attacker can do
This is a improper access control flaw. It lets an attacker perform actions or reach data that should be restricted to authorised users.
- How it is reached
- Needs access to the device or a file opened on it
- Access the attacker needs
- A basic user account
- Does the victim have to do something?
- No, works without the victim doing anything
What to do
- Update Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS now. Open the update or "About" screen, install whatever is offered and restart the app or device, because the fix is not active until you do.
- Turn on automatic updates so the next fix arrives without you having to look for it.
- If your device is too old to receive this update, stop using the affected app for anything sensitive and plan a replacement.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Vendor advisories and fixes
- support.apple.comsupport.apple.com/en-us/HT211288
- support.apple.comsupport.apple.com/en-us/HT211289
How urgent is it
CISA added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on September 8, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of attacks in the wild. US federal agencies must fix it by September 29, 2022, a deadline that has already passed. That deadline does not bind anyone else, but it shows how seriously the agency rates it.
The EPSS model estimates a 3.2% probability that this flaw will be exploited somewhere in the next 30 days. That is higher than 88% of all scored vulnerabilities.
Its CVSS severity score is 5.5 out of 10 (medium), as recorded in the US National Vulnerability Database.
Technical description
An issue existed in the handling of environment variables. This issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 13.6 and iPadOS 13.6, macOS Catalina 10.15.6. A local user may be able to view sensitive user information.