CVE-2021-30702

Physical Login Window bypass via state-management flaw

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authentication bypass in Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.4, Catalina, and Mojave allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Login Window. The Login Window component mishandles authentication state, but Apple has not disclosed the specific transition or input that produces the bypass. Exploitation requires physical access to a Mac and permits entry past the login boundary; no remote path or broader impact is reported.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.4, Catalina, and Mojave allows physically proximate attackers to bypass Login Window. The Login Window component mishandles authentication state, but Apple has not disclosed the specific transition or input that produces the bypass. Exploitation requires physical access to a Mac and permits entry past the login boundary; no remote path or broader impact is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30702
Published
Sep 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-287
Attack vector
physical
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

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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 <11.4
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <2021

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.4; version=unspecified <2021

Published CVSS scores

2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
4.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication

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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