IRONSMITHINTEL
HIGHCVSS7.8
|
Actively Exploited
|CISA KEV|CVE-2021-30869|Auth: none — unauthenticated|Reboot: required|Manual only

Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS Type Confusion Vulnerability (CVE-2021-30869)

Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS contain a type confusion vulnerability in the XNU which may allow a malicious application to execute code with kernel privileges.

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated May 17, 2026
Why patchRisk explained in plain English
Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A local attacker, without authentication, can achieve full data confidentiality loss, arbitrary modification of data, complete denial of service or system unavailability. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2021-11-17 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This is a Type Confusion (CWE-843) vulnerability in Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. A type confusion issue was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 12.5.5, iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4, macOS Big Sur 11.2, Security Update 2021-001 Catalina, Security Update 2021-001 Mojave, Security Update 2021-006 Catalina. A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of reports that an exploit for this issue exists in the wild. Exploitation requires local access, low attack complexity, no authentication required, and user interaction required.

Am I affected?Quick check

Probably yes if any of these apply:

●Apple Device Administrators
●Endpoint Security
●IT Security
●Running ipados: v < 14.4; iphone os: 12.0 ≤ v < 12.5.5, 14.0 ≤ v < 14.4; mac os x: 10.14 ≤ v ≤ 10.14.6, 10.15 ≤ v ≤ 10.15.6, 10.14.6, 10.15.7; macos: 11.0 ≤ v < 11.2
Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2021-11-17.

How to patch

Manual remediation steps

1
Identify affected hosts: query inventory for os installs in scope.
2
Apply the vendor security update referenced in CVE-2021-30869's advisory. No specific KB/version is encoded yet — consult the linked MSRC/vendor URL.
3
Verify the fix per the vendor's published verification steps.
4
Document the remediation in your change ticket and re-scan with your vulnerability scanner to confirm closure.
PowerShell automationComing soon

No tested PowerShell script for this entry yet. We’re prioritising automation based on user demand.

References

↗ CVE-2021-30869↗ MSRC Advisory↗ NVD↗ Vendor Advisory