CVE-2020-27932: Apple Multiple Products Type Confusion Vulnerability

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name

Apple Multiple Products Type Confusion Vulnerability

Vendor

Apple

Product

Multiple Products

Added to the catalog

2021-11-03

Due date for US federal agencies

2022-05-03

Weaknesses

CWE-843

Catalog version

2026.10.30

Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS contain a type confusion vulnerability that may allow a malicious application to execute code with kernel privileges.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA does not mark known use of this vulnerability in ransomware campaigns.

Links in CISA's notes

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-27932

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status

Analyzed

Published

2020-12-08T21:15:13.903

Last modified

2026-06-17T03:09:53.783

Weaknesses

CWE-843

A type confusion issue was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, watchOS 7.1, iOS 12.4.9, watchOS 6.2.9, Security Update 2020-006 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-006 Mojave, iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2, watchOS 5.3.9, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Supplemental Update, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Update. A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

References

• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161295/XNU-Kernel-Turnstiles-Type-Confusion.html (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Dec/32 (Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211928 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211929 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211931 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211944 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211945 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211946 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211947 (Vendor Advisory)
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161295/XNU-Kernel-Turnstiles-Type-Confusion.html (Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
• http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Dec/32 (Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211928 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211929 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211931 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211944 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211945 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211946 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211947 (Vendor Advisory)
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-27932 (US Government Resource)

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:51.476Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2020-27932

CVE record

Assigner

apple

State

PUBLISHED

Published

2020-12-08T20:13:49.000Z

Updated

2025-10-21T23:35:32.201Z

Problem types

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

A type confusion issue was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, watchOS 7.1, iOS 12.4.9, watchOS 6.2.9, Security Update 2020-006 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-006 Mojave, iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2, watchOS 5.3.9, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Supplemental Update, macOS Catalina 10.15.7 Update. A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

References

• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211931
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211928
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211929
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211940
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211944
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211945
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211946
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211947
• 20201215 APPLE-SA-2020-12-14-4 Additional information for APPLE-SA-2020-11-13-1 macOS Big Sur 11.0.1
• http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/161295/XNU-Kernel-Turnstiles-Type-Confusion.html

Read on 2026-11-03T01:04:13.818Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2020/27xxx/CVE-2020-27932.json

Defensive techniques (MITRE D3FEND)

D3FEND maps these defensive techniques to the weakness (CWE) that NVD lists for this CVE, through the digital artifacts the weakness affects. D3FEND does not say they stop this vulnerability.

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