Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Apple issue allowed a malicious application to bypass some Privacy preferences on affected macOS, tvOS, and watchOS versions. Apple fixed it with improved validation in macOS Big Sur 11.5, tvOS 14.7, and watchOS 7.6. The sources do not specify which privacy controls were affected.
Executive priority
Treat this as a patch compliance and privacy-control risk for Apple device fleets. Prioritize updates on devices handling sensitive communications, regulated data, or unmanaged application installation. Urgency cannot be rated precisely from the provided sources because severity and exploitation evidence are absent.
Technical view
CVE-2021-31006 is described as a permissions issue addressed through improved validation. The stated impact is that a malicious application may bypass certain Privacy preferences. Public source data does not provide CVSS, CWE, affected version ranges, exploit details, or the exact privacy preference boundary involved.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Apple macOS Big Sur, tvOS, or watchOS systems that had not received the fixed releases named by Apple. The source bundle lists affected versions only as unspecified, so exposure should be confirmed by installed OS version and Apple advisory mapping.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not state active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked as CISA KEV. The described scenario requires a malicious application on the affected Apple device. No public exploit status is supported by the provided sources.
Researcher notes
The public record is sparse. It does not identify the affected Privacy preference, API, entitlement, sandbox behavior, CVSS vector, or CWE. Avoid assuming TCC scope beyond Apple’s phrase “Privacy preferences.” Validate exposure through OS version and Apple advisory references rather than exploit reproduction.
Mitigation direction
- Update macOS Big Sur systems to 11.5 or later where applicable.
- Update tvOS systems to 14.7 or later where applicable.
- Update watchOS systems to 7.6 or later where applicable.
- Check Apple advisories for currently supported replacement updates.
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications on managed Apple devices.
Validation and detection
- Inventory macOS, tvOS, and watchOS versions across managed assets.
- Confirm macOS Big Sur systems are at least 11.5 where applicable.
- Confirm tvOS systems are at least 14.7 where applicable.
- Confirm watchOS systems are at least 7.6 where applicable.
- Review MDM compliance reporting for devices missing Apple security updates.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2021-31006 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212602CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212605CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212604CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.