CVE-2022-46689

HIGH EXPLOITED

macOS Dirty Cow Arbitrary File Write Local Privilege Escalation

Title source: metasploit
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2022-46689 has been observed exploited in the wild (reported by VulnCheck KEV). EIP tracks 20 public exploits from researchers including ginsudev, zhuowei, straight-tamago, including a Metasploit module exploits/osx/local/mac_dirty_cow.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This repository contains a proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2022-46689, which allows overwriting fonts on iOS 16.1.2 and below by leveraging a race condition in the vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race mechanism. The exploit uses WOFF2 font compression with padding to bypass memory write restrictions.

Description

A race condition was addressed with additional validation. This issue is fixed in tvOS 16.2, macOS Monterey 12.6.2, macOS Ventura 13.1, macOS Big Sur 11.7.2, iOS 15.7.2 and iPadOS 15.7.2, iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, watchOS 9.2. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

Exploits (20)

nomisec WORKING POC 889 stars
by ginsudev · poc
https://github.com/ginsudev/WDBFontOverwrite

This repository contains a proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2022-46689, which allows overwriting fonts on iOS 16.1.2 and below by leveraging a race condition in the vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race mechanism. The exploit uses WOFF2 font compression with padding to bypass memory write restrictions.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: iOS 16.1.2 and below
No auth needed
Prerequisites: iOS device running 16.1.2 or below · WOFF2-compatible fonts
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 411 stars
by zhuowei · local
https://github.com/zhuowei/MacDirtyCowDemo

This is a working proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2022-46689, a macOS vulnerability similar to Dirty Cow. It leverages a race condition in the virtual memory subsystem to overwrite read-only files, enabling local privilege escalation by modifying /etc/pam.d/su to bypass password authentication.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS 13.0.1 and below (including 12.6.1)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · SIP disabled (though may work with SIP enabled) · Compilation tools (clang)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 150 stars
by straight-tamago · poc
https://github.com/straight-tamago/FileSwitcherX

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race (CVE-2022-46689) to achieve arbitrary memory write by rapidly switching memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. The code demonstrates a thread-based race to trick the kernel into writing to read-only memory.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple macOS (XNU kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 129 stars
by straight-tamago · poc
https://github.com/straight-tamago/NoCameraSound

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race to achieve arbitrary memory write by rapidly switching memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. It targets a vulnerability in the XNU kernel's memory management, specifically CVE-2022-46689.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple XNU kernel (macOS)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 81 stars
by mineek · poc
https://github.com/mineek/FileManager

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race to achieve arbitrary memory write, potentially leading to privilege escalation. The code demonstrates a thread-based race to switch memory mappings between read-only and read-write states.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS (XNU kernel, specifically vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Kernel memory manipulation capabilities
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 73 stars
by straight-tamago · poc
https://github.com/straight-tamago/NoHomeBar

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race (CVE-2022-46689) to achieve arbitrary memory writes by manipulating memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. The code demonstrates a thread-based race to bypass memory protections and overwrite targeted file data.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple macOS (XNU kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Ability to compile and execute C code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 57 stars
by straight-tamago · poc
https://github.com/straight-tamago/DockTransparent

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race (CVE-2022-46689) to achieve arbitrary memory writes by rapidly switching memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. The code demonstrates a thread-based race to bypass memory protections and overwrite target data.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS (XNU kernel, versions affected by CVE-2022-46689)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Ability to compile and execute C code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 23 stars
by bomberfish · poc
https://github.com/bomberfish/Mandela-Legacy

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS XNU's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race to achieve arbitrary memory write by manipulating memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. It demonstrates a local privilege escalation by overwriting a target file's mapped memory region.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple XNU kernel (macOS, likely versions up to those using xnu-8792.61.2)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Ability to compile and execute C code · Target file mapped in memory
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 20 stars
by bomberfish · poc
https://github.com/bomberfish/Mandela-Classic

This PoC exploits a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race to achieve arbitrary memory write by rapidly switching memory mappings between read-only and read-write states. It targets a vulnerability in the XNU kernel's memory management, specifically CVE-2022-46689.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple XNU kernel (macOS)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Ability to compile and execute C code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC 13 stars
by enty8080 · local
https://github.com/enty8080/MacDirtyCow

This PoC demonstrates CVE-2022-46689 (MacDirtyCow), a privilege escalation vulnerability in macOS's XNU kernel. It exploits a race condition in the copy-on-write mechanism to modify read-only files, potentially leading to root access.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS (XNU kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable macOS system · Ability to execute arbitrary code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec NO CODE 1 stars
by tdquang266 · poc
https://github.com/tdquang266/MDC
nomisec TROJAN 1 stars
by iswaxan · poc
https://github.com/iswaxan/JailedCement

The repository claims to be a PoC for CVE-2022-46689 but contains no exploit code, only a warning about bootlooping devices and a disguised lure as 'onlyfans++'. This is likely a social engineering attempt to distribute malware.

Classification
Trojan 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: unspecified
No auth needed
Prerequisites: User interaction to execute the payload
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by LumberjackStorys · poc
https://github.com/LumberjackStorys/CVE

This repository contains a legitimate AWS CDK-based PoC for CVE-2022-46689, which automates the deployment of a Lambda function to monitor AWS Control Tower security notifications and forward them to a webhook. The scripts assume an IAM role in the audit account and deploy infrastructure across multiple regions.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: AWS Control Tower
Auth required
Prerequisites: Admin access to AWS Organization · AWS CDK installed · AWS CLI v2 · Valid webhook URL
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WRITEUP
by daviszhto · poc
https://github.com/daviszhto/overwrite

This repository contains documentation and source code for the Laravel Nova Flexible Content package, which is vulnerable to CVE-2022-46689. The README provides installation and usage instructions but does not include exploit code or offensive techniques.

Classification
Writeup 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: Laravel Nova Flexible Content
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Laravel Nova Flexible Content installation
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WRITEUP
by Code2Crusader · poc
https://github.com/Code2Crusader/46689

This repository contains a README describing a proof-of-concept for CVE-2022-46689, which involves overwriting fonts on iOS. No actual exploit code is provided.

Classification
Writeup 30%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Theoretical
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: iOS (version not specified)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: iOS device with vulnerable font handling
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by 69camau · poc
https://github.com/69camau/sw1tch

This repository contains a Swift-based proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2022-46689, targeting iOS versions 16.0-16.1.2 and 15.0-15.7.1. The exploit leverages a race condition vulnerability in the vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race function, as demonstrated in the referenced Apple test case.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: Apple iOS 16.0-16.1.2, 15.0-15.7.1
No auth needed
Prerequisites: iOS device running vulnerable versions · Xcode project integration
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by ahkecha · local
https://github.com/ahkecha/McDirty

This PoC exploits CVE-2022-46689, a race condition in macOS's vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race to achieve local privilege escalation by manipulating memory mappings. It demonstrates the DirtyCow-like vulnerability on macOS systems.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS (xnu kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to a vulnerable macOS system · Compilation with clang++
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
local
https://github.com/Lrdsnow/PureKFD

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2022-46689, leveraging a path traversal vulnerability in Apple's MobileBackup2 service to achieve arbitrary file write and potential local privilege escalation on iOS devices. The exploit uses hard link manipulation and directory traversal to bypass sandbox restrictions.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Apple iOS (MobileBackup2 service)
Auth required
Prerequisites: Physical access to the device or USB connection · Device in a state allowing backup/restore operations
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 25, 2026 Full analysis →
vulncheck_xdb WORKING POC
local
https://github.com/BomberFish/Mandela-Rewritten

This repository contains a functional exploit PoC for CVE-2022-46689, targeting a race condition in the vm_unaligned_copy_switch_race mechanism in macOS/iOS. The exploit leverages memory mapping and thread synchronization to achieve arbitrary file overwrites, demonstrating a local privilege escalation (LPE) vulnerability.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Complex
Reliability
Racy
Target: macOS/iOS (XNU kernel)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Ability to compile and run the exploit code
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 25, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by Ian Beer, Zhuowei Zhang, timwr · rubypocosx
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/osx/local/mac_dirty_cow.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2022-46689, a macOS Dirty Cow vulnerability, to achieve local privilege escalation by overwriting the /etc/pam.d/su file to permit unauthorized root access. It uses a race condition in the vm_unaligned_copy_switch function to gain arbitrary file write capabilities.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: macOS versions 13.0, 13.0.1, 12.6.1, and others as specified in the check method
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target macOS system · Writable directory (default /tmp) · Non-root session
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (14)

Core 14
Core References
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213530
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213531
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213532
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213533
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213534
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213535
Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213536
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/20
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/21
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/25
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/23
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/26
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/24
Mailing List, Third Party Advisory mailing-list
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Dec/27

Scores

CVSS v3 7.0
EPSS 0.8533
EPSS Percentile 99.4%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

VulnCheck KEV 2022-12-13
CWE
CWE-362
Status published
Products (6)
apple/ipados < 15.7.2
apple/iphone_os < 15.7.2
apple/macos < 11.7.2
apple/safari < 16.2
apple/tvos < 16.2
apple/watchos < 9.2
Published Dec 15, 2022
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026