^{CVE-2021-30724:}Local privilege escalation vulnerability in Apple operating systems

Overview

This vulnerability affects multiple Apple operating systems and could allow a local attacker to gain elevated privileges on the affected system. While specific technical details about the vulnerability are limited in the public disclosure, privilege escalation vulnerabilities typically allow attackers to gain higher-level access to system resources than they should normally have. This could potentially lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, installation of malware, or further system compromise. The vulnerability requires local access to exploit, which limits the attack surface but still presents a significant security risk for affected systems.

Remediation

To address this vulnerability, users should update their Apple devices to the following versions:

• iOS and iPadOS: Update to version 14.6 or later
• macOS Big Sur: Update to version 11.4 or later
• macOS Catalina: Install Security Update 2021-003
• macOS Mojave: Install Security Update 2021-004
• tvOS: Update to version 14.6 or later
• watchOS: Update to version 7.5 or later

These updates can be installed through the standard software update mechanisms on each device:

• For iOS/iPadOS: Go to Settings > General > Software Update
• For macOS: Go to System Preferences > Software Update
• For tvOS: Go to Settings > System > Software Updates
• For watchOS: Use the Watch app on the paired iPhone

References

1. Apple Security Updates for iOS and iPadOS 14.6: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212528
2. Apple Security Updates for macOS Big Sur 11.4: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212529
3. Apple Security Update 2021-003 Catalina: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212530
4. Apple Security Update 2021-004 Mojave: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212531
5. Apple Security Updates for tvOS 14.6: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212532
6. Apple Security Updates for watchOS 7.5: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212533