CVE-2020-9801Public exploit

Arbitrary application launch via symbolic-link misclassification

Published Jun 9, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Logic flaw in Apple Safari before 13.1.1 allows local users controlling a malicious process to make the browser launch an application. Safari's didFailProvisionalLoad path checks the file URL rather than its symlink target, then passes that target to an NSWorkspace mode that executes application bundles. Reachability requires an existing process able to send the IPC message and prepare the symlink, and the bounded result is launch of the linked application.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability1.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Logic flaw in Apple Safari before 13.1.1 allows local users controlling a malicious process to make the browser launch an application. Safari's didFailProvisionalLoad path checks the file URL rather than its symlink target, then passes that target to an NSWorkspace mode that executes application bundles. Reachability requires an existing process able to send the IPC message and prepare the symlink, and the bounded result is launch of the linked application.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-9801
Published
Jun 9, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
Safari
Classifications
T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 9, 2020CVE 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 <Safari 13.1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · Safariversion=unspecified <Safari 13.1.1

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
5.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

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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