Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-26696 is a macOS sandbox escape issue. A process already running inside Apple’s sandbox could bypass restrictions and potentially gain broader access than intended. Apple says it fixed the issue in macOS Monterey 12.4 by improving environment sanitization.
Executive priority
Treat as a high-priority endpoint patching item. It is not described as remotely exploitable or actively exploited in the supplied sources, but successful abuse could undermine macOS sandbox protections and expose sensitive data.
Technical view
Apple describes this as a sandbox restriction bypass in macOS, mapped to CWE-693. The CVSS 3.1 vector is local, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, scope changed, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on macOS systems not updated to macOS Monterey 12.4 or an applicable later Apple security update. The source bundle does not specify exact vulnerable versions beyond macOS.
Exploitation context
The CVE is not listed as KEV in the provided bundle, and no cited source states active exploitation. Exploitation would require local code execution by a low-privileged sandboxed process.
Researcher notes
Public details are sparse. Apple attributes the fix to improved environment sanitization but does not provide exploit mechanics in the cited advisory. Avoid assuming specific affected builds beyond the provided macOS and Monterey 12.4 fix statement.
Mitigation direction
- Update macOS Monterey systems to 12.4 or later.
- Check Apple guidance for applicable updates on other macOS release lines.
- Prioritize managed Macs handling sensitive data or running third-party apps.
- Track remediation through endpoint management or vulnerability management tooling.
Validation and detection
- Inventory macOS versions across the fleet.
- Confirm Monterey endpoints are on 12.4 or later.
- Compare scanner detections against Apple advisory HT213257.
- Review exceptions for unsupported or unmanaged macOS devices.
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.
CWE-693: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-26696 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
- High
- CVSS
- 8.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H26Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
8.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213257CVE 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.
Protection Mechanism Failure
Protection Mechanism Failure represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.