CVE-2021-1784Public exploit

Privacy-control bypass via unchecked TCC mount

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper permissions in Apple macOS DiskArbitration allow local users to modify protected file-system content through a malicious application. DiskArbitration permits a user-controlled disk image to be mounted over ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC without sufficient ownership validation, substituting a crafted TCC database. Execution as the logged-in user is required; the substituted database grants the malicious application selected privacy permissions without directly granting root access.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability1.97%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper permissions in Apple macOS DiskArbitration allow local users to modify protected file-system content through a malicious application. DiskArbitration permits a user-controlled disk image to be mounted over ~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC without sufficient ownership validation, substituting a crafted TCC database. Execution as the logged-in user is required; the substituted database grants the malicious application selected privacy permissions without directly granting root access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-1784
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1548.006
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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 <11.3
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <2021

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.3; version=unspecified <2021

Published CVSS scores

5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1548.006TCC Manipulation

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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