CVE-2021-30952: Apple WebKit arbitrary code execution
Quick Answer
CISA added CVE-2021-30952 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-03-05, confirming that exploitation has occurred. If you operate Apple Multiple Products, identify the exact version and relevant configuration now, preserve security evidence, and follow the live vendor remediation. A KEV match does not prove your system was compromised, and installing an update does not rule out earlier exploitation.
Operator action
Install the newest supported Apple operating-system and Safari updates; the listed 2021 releases are historical minimum fixes, not current target versions.
Last verified: 2026-09-17 UTC. CISA KEV snapshot version
2026.09.16. Recheck the live advisory before changing production.
Context
Status At A Glance
| Product scope | Apple — Multiple Products |
|---|---|
| CVE | CVE-2021-30952 |
| TechGeeks response tier | P0 — confirm an exact match and act now |
| CISA KEV added | 2026-03-05 |
| Vendor severity | Not assigned or published by the vendor in the cited advisory. |
| CVSS | Not assigned or published by the vendor in the cited advisory. |
| Ransomware field | Unknown — this is not the same as No; CISA has not marked the field Known. |
| Forensic-triage field | No in the current CISA field; organizations should still investigate when exposure or evidence warrants it. |
| CWE | CWE-190 |
| Federal remediation date | 2026-03-26 — applies to covered federal agencies; other organizations should set a risk-based deadline. |
What Happened
Apple Multiple Products Integer Overflow or Wraparound Vulnerability. Apple tvOS, macOS, Safari, iPadOS and watchOS contain an integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability due to the processing of maliciously crafted web content that may lead to arbitrary code execution. CISA's KEV listing confirms exploitation evidence, but it does not state how widespread the activity is or prove that any particular installation was compromised.
Affected Scope
WebKit across iOS, iPadOS, Safari on macOS, macOS Monterey, tvOS, and watchOS. Apple says maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.
Match the exact edition, hardware or virtual platform, release, patch level, enabled feature, and management exposure. A product-family name alone is not enough to establish applicability.
Steps
What To Do Now
- Confirm. Inventory every Multiple Products asset and record its exact version, patch level, role, relevant configuration, and exposure.
- Preserve. Save UTC timestamps, off-device authentication, firewall, proxy, DNS, endpoint, application, and SIEM evidence before logs rotate or a disruptive change removes context.
- Contain. Restrict unnecessary internet and management-plane access using supported controls. Follow the live advisory: Open the live Apple advisory.
- Remediate. Install the newest supported Apple operating-system and Safari updates; the listed 2021 releases are historical minimum fixes, not current target versions.
- Validate. Verify the resulting version or patch level, service health, logging, expected access, an expected denial, and representative dependent workflows.
- Escalate. If exposure overlapped the vulnerable period or evidence is suspicious, treat the system as a potential incident and follow vendor and incident-response recovery guidance.
Fixed Releases And Mitigation
Verified fixed release, patch level, or update guidance captured at the last check:
- iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2
- macOS Monterey 12.1
- Safari 15.2
- tvOS 15.2
- watchOS 8.3
Mitigation boundary: Apple documents software updates as the remedy and does not state a product-specific workaround in the cited advisories.
A workaround, access restriction, or provider-side control reduces a described path; it does not necessarily remove vulnerable code or erase compromise.
Investigation And Recovery
CISA added this older CVE to KEV in 2026. Apple's cited advisories do not provide indicators or a vendor exploitation statement, so attribute the known-exploitation signal to CISA.
When an attacker may have gained administrative, root, SYSTEM, identity, management-plane, or code-execution access, patching alone is not an eradication claim. Preserve evidence, scope affected accounts and downstream systems, rotate exposed credentials or certificates when justified, and rebuild from a trusted source when vendor or incident-response guidance requires it.
Notes
Exploitation Evidence
Vendor statement: A separate vendor exploitation statement was not captured at this check. CISA KEV status independently confirms exploitation evidence.
CISA statement: CVE-2021-30952 was added to KEV on 2026-03-05. The ransomware field is Unknown, and the forensic-triage field is No. These are separate signals.
Validation And Boundaries
This notice does not prove that every product carrying the family name is affected, that exploitation is widespread, that a clean indicator search rules out compromise, or that a successful update restored trust. TechGeeks has not reproduced the exploit and does not replace the vendor advisory, asset inventory, vulnerability scanner, or incident-response process.
Related TechGeeks Resources
- Security Hot Page
- All Security Notices
- What to Do When a Device Hits CISA KEV
- Router CVE Exposure, Version, and Mitigation Checklist
- IoT Firmware Update and End-of-Support Checklist
- Live Protect and Runtime Vulnerability Shielding
References
- Apple security advisory
- Apple security advisory
- Apple security advisory
- Apple security advisory
- Apple security advisory
- Apple security advisory
- NVD CVE record
- CISA source
Wrap-Up
Record whether CVE-2021-30952 applies to your environment. If it does, assign an owner, preserve the change and investigation evidence, complete the vendor action, and document the validated result.
Correction policy: If a primary source changes affected versions, remediation, exploitation status, or recovery guidance, TechGeeks will update this page and its verification date.

