CVE-2022-32852
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn out-of-bounds read issue was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.5. Processing a maliciously crafted AppleScript binary may result in unexpected termination or disclosure of process memory.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThis is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in macOS Monterey's AppleScript binary interpreter. When the system processes a maliciously crafted AppleScript binary file, it reads memory beyond allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive process memory contents to an attacker.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data>= 12.0, < 12.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check macOS versionRun 'sw_vers -productVersion' in Terminal to get the installed macOS versionAffected if The version is 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, or 12.4 (any version from 12.0 up to but not including 12.5)
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Verify AppleScript interpreter availabilityRun 'which osascript' or 'which scptd' in Terminal to confirm the AppleScript interpreter binaries are presentAffected if The interpreter binaries exist and the system can execute AppleScript scripts
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Check for AppleScript binary file handling capabilityRun 'defaults read /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.applescriptd 2>/dev/null' or verify that .scpt or .applescript files can be opened with Script EditorAffected if The system can process AppleScript binary files (.scpt format)
The environment is affected if macOS version is 12.0 through 12.4 and AppleScript binary file processing is enabled.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped12.5
Update affected macOS systems to version 12.5 or later. Avoid opening AppleScript files from untrusted sources.
macOS Monterey 12.5
- Check current macOS version by clicking Apple menu > About This Mac
- If running macOS 12.0 through 12.4, open System Preferences > Software Update
- Click 'Update Now' to download and install macOS Monterey 12.5
- Alternatively, download macOS Monterey 12.5 from the Mac App Store and run the installer manually
- Restart the system after the update completes
- Verify the update by checking About This Mac shows version 12.5
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,560.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-32852 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-32852 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data