CVE-2019-8643

Incorrect institutional recovery key presence reporting

Published Dec 23, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Logic error in fdesetup in Apple macOS before 10.14 allows local users to receive an incorrect report that an institutional recovery key is present. The fdesetup status path mishandles internal state when checking for an institutional FileVault recovery key and reports that an absent key is present. The check is local, and its false-positive result can cause administrators to rely on a recovery mechanism that is not configured.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Logic error in fdesetup in Apple macOS before 10.14 allows local users to receive an incorrect report that an institutional recovery key is present. The fdesetup status path mishandles internal state when checking for an institutional FileVault recovery key and reports that an absent key is present. The check is local, and its false-positive result can cause administrators to rely on a recovery mechanism that is not configured.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-8643
Published
Dec 23, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 23, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <10.14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <10.14

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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