Root privilege escalation by malicious local applications
Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024
Privilege escalation in Apple macOS before 11.5 allows local users to gain root privileges by running a malicious application. The flaw resides in CoreServices, but Apple has not disclosed which check was missing or what untrusted input reached it. Execution of an attacker-controlled application in a user session is required; successful exploitation grants root control of the Mac.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Apple macOS before 11.5 allows local users to gain root privileges by running a malicious application. The flaw resides in CoreServices, but Apple has not disclosed which check was missing or what untrusted input reached it. Execution of an attacker-controlled application in a user session is required; successful exploitation grants root control of the Mac.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-30772
- Published
- Sep 8, 2021
- Updated
- Aug 3, 2024
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- Unavailable
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <11.5
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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