Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-30869

Memory Safety in Apple Mac Os X 10.14 – 10.14.6

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedMemory Safety
Published
24 August 2021
Modified
23 October 2025
KEV Added
03 November 2021
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.042 90th percentile
Risk Priority 83 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2021-30869 is a high-severity Type Confusion (CWE-843) vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 10% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

A type confusion vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-30869 and assigned CWE-843, was present in multiple Apple operating systems. The flaw was addressed through improved state handling and affected iOS prior to 12.5.5 and 14.4, iPadOS prior to 14.4, macOS Big Sur prior to 11.2, and earlier Catalina and Mojave releases addressed by the listed 2021 security updates. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 reflects local attack vector, low complexity, and no privileges required.

A malicious application running on an affected device can exploit the issue to achieve arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges. The attack requires user interaction such as opening a crafted file or application but needs no prior authentication.

Apple security advisories for the listed updates state that the vulnerability has been resolved in the specified iOS, iPadOS, and macOS releases. The vendor notes that it is aware of reports indicating an exploit for this issue exists in the wild.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A type confusion issue was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 12.5.5, iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4, macOS Big Sur 11.2, Security Update 2021-001 Catalina, Security Update 2021-001 Mojave, Security Update 2021-006 Catalina. A malicious…

more

application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of reports that an exploit for this issue exists in the wild.

CWE(s)
CWE-843
KEV Date Added
03 November 2021

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
attack.mitre.org →
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
attack.mitre.org →
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
attack.mitre.org →
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-23529Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2020-27932Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2022-42856Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2024-23222Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2023-32358Same product: Apple Ipados
CVE-2023-41075Same product: Apple Ipados
CVE-2023-41060Same product: Apple Ipados
CVE-2023-41064Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2020-27930Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2023-32439Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV

Affected Assets

apple
ipados
≤ 14.4
apple
iphone os
12.0 — 12.5.5 · 14.0 — 14.4
apple
mac os x
10.14.6, 10.15.7 · 10.14 — 10.14.6 · 10.15 — 10.15.6
apple
macos
11.0 — 11.2

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

—

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V1.5.2
  • V3.2.3
  • V15.3.5

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly prevent type-confusion flaws via safe typing, static analysis, and code review while the control itself addresses many additional weaknesses.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.8.29 Security testing in development and acceptance mostly match
finds

Security testing in development can detect type-confusion vulnerabilities through fuzzing and static analysis.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC mandates type-safe design and review that can catch type-confusion flaws.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements can specify strong typing and interface contracts that reduce type confusion.

A.8.27 Secure system architecture and engineering principles partial match
prevents

Secure architecture principles promote type-safe languages and memory-safety mechanisms that mitigate type confusion.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards directly forbid unsafe type casts and require static-analysis checks for type confusion.

References