Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-48503

Apple Safari ≤ 15.6

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD Exploited
Published
14 August 2023
Modified
23 October 2025
KEV Added
20 October 2025
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.032 87th percentile
Risk Priority 90 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-48503 is a high-severity Improper Validation of Array Index (CWE-129) vulnerability in Apple Safari. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked in the top 13% 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.

The vulnerability is an insufficient bounds checking issue that affects multiple Apple platforms when processing web content. Impacted software includes iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, macOS Monterey 12.5, tvOS 15.6, watchOS 8.7, and Safari 15.6. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 and is tracked under CWE-129.

An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the issue by supplying malicious web content that the victim processes in a vulnerable browser or application. Successful exploitation results in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected process, requiring only that the user interact with the content such as by visiting a crafted web page.

Apple security advisories for HT213340, HT213341, HT213342, HT213345, and HT213346 state that the issue was resolved through improved bounds checks and recommend installing the listed updates to eliminate the vulnerability. The current EPSS score of 0.0016 indicates low observed exploitation activity.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A05:2025 Injection

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks. This issue is fixed in tvOS 15.6, watchOS 8.7, iOS 15.6 and iPadOS 15.6, macOS Monterey 12.5, Safari 15.6. Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.

CWE(s)
NVD-CWE-noinfoCWE-129
KEV Date Added
20 October 2025

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 →
T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth
Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.
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.

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CVE-2021-30665Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2021-30883Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2022-42856Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2021-30663Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2024-23225Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2024-23296Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV
CVE-2025-24085Same product: Apple Ipadosboth on KEV

Affected Assets

apple
safari
≤ 15.6
apple
ipados
≤ 15.6
apple
iphone os
≤ 15.6
apple
macos
12.0.0 — 12.5
apple
tvos
≤ 15.6
apple
watchos
≤ 8.7

Mitigating Controls

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 require input validation and bounds checking that prevent improper array indexing.

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 out-of-bounds array access but does not prevent the weakness by itself.

A.8.25 Secure development life cycle partial match
prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates input validation and bounds checking that directly prevents improper array indexing.

A.8.26 Application security requirements partial match
prevents

Application security requirements include validation of untrusted input used for indexing or addressing memory structures.

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

Secure architecture principles encourage defensive coding patterns that reduce index-related vulnerabilities.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly require bounds checking and validation of array indices derived from untrusted data.

References