CVE-2022-32831

Vulnerability

CVE-2022-32831 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the handling of AppleScript binary files on macOS. The issue exists in the code that parses AppleScript binaries, and it can be triggered when a user processes a specially crafted AppleScript binary. Affected versions include macOS Monterey prior to 12.5, macOS Big Sur prior to 11.6.8, and macOS Catalina prior to Security Update 2022-005 [1][2][3].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by delivering a maliciously crafted AppleScript binary to the target user. The user must then open or otherwise process the binary (e.g., via the Script Editor or by double-clicking). No additional privileges are required beyond user interaction. The out-of-bounds read occurs during parsing, leading to the disclosure of process memory or application termination.

Impact

Successful exploitation could result in the unexpected termination of the application processing the AppleScript binary, or the disclosure of sensitive process memory. The impact is limited to the context of the user running the application; kernel-level access is not achieved. The vulnerability does not allow arbitrary code execution based on the description.

Mitigation

Apple has addressed this issue in macOS Monterey 12.5, macOS Big Sur 11.6.8, and Security Update 2022-005 for macOS Catalina, all released on July 20, 2022 [1][2][3]. Users should update to the latest available version. No workarounds are documented.