About the security content of watchOS 8.6

This document describes the security content of watchOS 8.6.

About Apple security updates

For our customers' protection, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available. Recent releases are listed on the Apple security updates page.

Apple security documents reference vulnerabilities by CVE-ID when possible.

For more information about security, see the Apple Product Security page.

watchOS 8.6

AppleAVD

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2022-26702: an anonymous researcher, Antonio Zekic (@antoniozekic), and John Aakerblom (@jaakerblom)

AppleAVD

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2022-22675: an anonymous researcher

DriverKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges

Description: An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2022-26763: Linus Henze of Pinauten GmbH (pinauten.de)

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: An integer overflow was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2022-26711: actae0n of Blacksun Hackers Club working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

IOMobileFrameBuffer

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2022-26768: an anonymous researcher

IOSurfaceAccelerator

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2022-26771: an anonymous researcher

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2022-26714: Peter Nguyễn Vũ Hoàng (@peternguyen14) of STAR Labs (@starlabs_sg)

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2022-26757: Ned Williamson of Google Project Zero

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An attacker that has already achieved kernel code execution may be able to bypass kernel memory mitigations

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2022-26764: Linus Henze of Pinauten GmbH (pinauten.de)

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication

Description: A race condition was addressed with improved state handling.

CVE-2022-26765: Linus Henze of Pinauten GmbH (pinauten.de)

LaunchServices

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A sandboxed process may be able to circumvent sandbox restrictions

Description: An access issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions on third-party applications.

CVE-2022-26706: Arsenii Kostromin (0x3c3e), Jonathan Bar Or of Microsoft

libresolv

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: An integer overflow was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2022-26775: Max Shavrick (@_mxms) of the Google Security Team

libresolv

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-26708: Max Shavrick (@_mxms) of the Google Security Team

libresolv

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A remote user may be able to cause a denial-of-service

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-32790: Max Shavrick (@_mxms) of the Google Security Team

libresolv

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-26776: Max Shavrick (@_mxms) of the Google Security Team, Zubair Ashraf of Crowdstrike

libxml2

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2022-23308

Security

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious app may be able to bypass signature validation

Description: A certificate parsing issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-26766: Linus Henze of Pinauten GmbH (pinauten.de)

TCC

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An app may be able to capture a user's screen

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-26726: Antonio Cheong Yu Xuan of YCISCQ

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to code execution

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2022-26700: ryuzaki

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2022-26709: Chijin Zhou of ShuiMuYuLin Ltd and Tsinghua wingtecher lab

CVE-2022-26710: Chijin Zhou of ShuiMuYuLin Ltd and Tsinghua wingtecher lab

CVE-2022-26717: Jeonghoon Shin of Theori

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2022-26716: SorryMybad (@S0rryMybad) of Kunlun Lab

CVE-2022-26719: Dongzhuo Zhao working with ADLab of Venustech

Wi-Fi

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may disclose restricted memory

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2022-26745: Scarlet Raine

Wi-Fi

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may disclose restricted memory

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2022-26745: an anonymous researcher

Additional recognition

AppleMobileFileIntegrity

We would like to acknowledge Wojciech Reguła (@_r3ggi) of SecuRing for their assistance.

WebKit

We would like to acknowledge James Lee and an anonymous researcher for their assistance.