CVE-2021-30658

Gatekeeper bypass via mishandled file metadata

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Gatekeeper bypass in the Installer component of Apple macOS before 11.3 allows local users to run a malicious application. Installer mishandles file metadata used by Gatekeeper, allowing the application to evade the trust checks normally applied at launch. User interaction is required to open the application; Apple has not disclosed the specific metadata field or validation failure.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Gatekeeper bypass in the Installer component of Apple macOS before 11.3 allows local users to run a malicious application. Installer mishandles file metadata used by Gatekeeper, allowing the application to evade the trust checks normally applied at launch. User interaction is required to open the application; Apple has not disclosed the specific metadata field or validation failure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30658
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-494, T1553.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <11.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.3

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-494Download of Code Without Integrity Check
T1553.001Subvert Trust Controls: Gatekeeper Bypass

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo