About the security content of watchOS 7.4

This document describes the security content of watchOS 7.4.

About Apple security updates

For our customers' protection, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available. Recent releases are listed on the Apple security updates page.

Apple security documents reference vulnerabilities by CVE-ID when possible.

For more information about security, see the Apple Product Security page.

watchOS 7.4

AppleMobileFileIntegrity

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to bypass Privacy preferences

Description: An issue in code signature validation was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2021-1849: Siguza

Audio

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to read restricted memory

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2021-1808: JunDong Xie of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CFNetwork

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may disclose sensitive user information

Description: A memory initialization issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2021-1857: an anonymous researcher

Compression

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation

Description: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution.

CVE-2021-30752: Ye Zhang (@co0py_Cat) of Baidu Security

CoreAudio

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2021-30664: JunDong Xie of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CoreAudio

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted audio file may disclose restricted memory

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2021-1846: JunDong Xie of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CoreAudio

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to read restricted memory

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2021-1809: JunDong Xie of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CoreFoundation

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to leak sensitive user information

Description: A validation issue was addressed with improved logic.

CVE-2021-30659: Thijs Alkemade of Computest

CoreText

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted font may result in the disclosure of process memory

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2021-1811: Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

FaceTime

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Muting a CallKit call while ringing may not result in mute being enabled

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2021-1872: Siraj Zaneer of Facebook

FontParser

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted font file may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2021-1881: an anonymous researcher, Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab, Mickey Jin of Trend Micro, and Hou JingYi (@hjy79425575) of Qihoo 360

Foundation

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to gain elevated privileges

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation.

CVE-2021-1882: Gabe Kirkpatrick (@gabe_k)

Foundation

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A validation issue was addressed with improved logic.

CVE-2021-1813: Cees Elzinga

Heimdal

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted server messages may lead to heap corruption

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2021-1883: Gabe Kirkpatrick (@gabe_k)

Heimdal

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial of service

Description: A race condition was addressed with improved locking.

CVE-2021-1884: Gabe Kirkpatrick (@gabe_k)

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2021-1880: Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CVE-2021-30653: Ye Zhang of Baidu Security

CVE-2021-1814: Ye Zhang of Baidu Security, Mickey Jin & Qi Sun of Trend Micro, and Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab

CVE-2021-1843: Ye Zhang of Baidu Security

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2021-1885: CFF of Topsec Alpha Team

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2021-1858: Mickey Jin of Trend Micro

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An out-of-bounds write was addressed with improved input validation

Description: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution.

CVE-2021-30743: Ye Zhang (@co0py_Cat) of Baidu Security, Jzhu working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative, Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab, CFF of Topsec Alpha Team, Jeonghoon Shin (@singi21a) of THEORI working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

ImageIO

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: This issue was addressed with improved checks

Description: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to arbitrary code execution.

CVE-2021-30764: Anonymous working with Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative

iTunes Store

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An attacker with JavaScript execution may be able to execute arbitrary code

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2021-1864: CodeColorist of Ant-Financial LightYear Labs

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to disclose kernel memory

Description: A memory initialization issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2021-1860: @0xalsr

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2021-1816: Tielei Wang of Pangu Lab

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2021-1851: @0xalsr

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Copied files may not have the expected file permissions

Description: The issue was addressed with improved permissions logic.

CVE-2021-1832: an anonymous researcher

Kernel

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to disclose kernel memory

Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking.

CVE-2021-30660: Alex Plaskett

libxpc

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A malicious application may be able to gain root privileges

Description: A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

CVE-2021-30652: James Hutchins

libxslt

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to heap corruption

Description: A double free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2021-1875: Found by OSS-Fuzz

MobileInstallation

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A local user may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.

CVE-2021-1822: Bruno Virlet of The Grizzly Labs

Preferences

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A local user may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Description: A parsing issue in the handling of directory paths was addressed with improved path validation.

CVE-2021-1815: Zhipeng Huo (@R3dF09) and Yuebin Sun (@yuebinsun2020) of Tencent Security Xuanwu Lab (xlab.tencent.com)

CVE-2021-1739: Zhipeng Huo (@R3dF09) and Yuebin Sun (@yuebinsun2020) of Tencent Security Xuanwu Lab (xlab.tencent.com)

CVE-2021-1740: Zhipeng Huo (@R3dF09) and Yuebin Sun (@yuebinsun2020) of Tencent Security Xuanwu Lab (xlab.tencent.com)

Safari

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A local user may be able to write arbitrary files

Description: A validation issue was addressed with improved input sanitization.

CVE-2021-1807: David Schütz (@xdavidhu)

Tailspin

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2021-1868: Tim Michaud of Zoom Communications

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to a cross site scripting attack

Description: An input validation issue was addressed with improved input validation.

CVE-2021-1825: Alex Camboe of Aon’s Cyber Solutions

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved state management.

CVE-2021-1817: zhunki

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to universal cross site scripting

Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.

CVE-2021-1826: an anonymous researcher

WebKit

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may result in the disclosure of process memory

Description: A memory initialization issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

CVE-2021-1820: André Bargull

WebKit Storage

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2021-30661: yangkang(@dnpushme) of 360 ATA

WebRTC

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management

Description: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.

CVE-2020-7463: Megan2013678

Wi-Fi

Available for: Apple Watch Series 3 and later

Impact: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management

Description: A buffer overflow may result in arbitrary code execution.

CVE-2021-1770: Jiska Classen (@naehrdine) of Secure Mobile Networking Lab, TU Darmstadt

Additional recognition

AirDrop

We would like to acknowledge @maxzks for their assistance.

CoreAudio

We would like to acknowledge an anonymous researcher for their assistance.

CoreCrypto

We would like to acknowledge Andy Russon of Orange Group for their assistance.

File Bookmark

We would like to acknowledge an anonymous researcher for their assistance.

Foundation

We would like to acknowledge CodeColorist of Ant-Financial LightYear Labs for their assistance.

Kernel

We would like to acknowledge Antonio Frighetto of Politecnico di Milano, GRIMM, Keyu Man, Zhiyun Qian, Zhongjie Wang, Xiaofeng Zheng, Youjun Huang, Haixin Duan, Mikko Kenttälä ( @Turmio_ ) of SensorFu, Proteas, and Tielei Wang of Pangu Lab for their assistance.

Security

We would like to acknowledge Xingwei Lin of Ant Security Light-Year Lab and john (@nyan_satan) for their assistance.

sysdiagnose

We would like to acknowledge Tim Michaud (@TimGMichaud) of Leviathan for their assistance.

WebKit

We would like to acknowledge Emilio Cobos Álvarez of Mozilla for their assistance.