CVE-2021-30854

Sandbox escape via incorrect Preferences state management

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Sandbox escape in Preferences in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15, tvOS before 15, and watchOS before 8 allows attackers to bypass restrictions. Apple describes a logic error in Preferences state management but has not published the affected operation or erroneous state transition. Exploitation requires code already running inside an application sandbox; the bounded consequence is escape from that sandbox, with no separately documented code-execution or data-access impact.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability1.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Sandbox escape in Preferences in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15, tvOS before 15, and watchOS before 8 allows attackers to bypass restrictions. Apple describes a logic error in Preferences state management but has not published the affected operation or erroneous state transition. Exploitation requires code already running inside an application sandbox; the bounded consequence is escape from that sandbox, with no separately documented code-execution or data-access impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30854
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 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 <15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <15
Apple · tvOSversion=unspecified <15
Apple · watchOSversion=unspecified <8

Published CVSS scores

5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
8.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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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