CVE-2021-30856

Privacy-control bypass via Remote Login access

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authorization bypass in TCC on Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.3 allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through Remote Login. TCC handling for Secure Shell sessions does not require a separate Full Disk Access opt-in, allowing an unsandboxed app to evade configured privacy controls. Exploitation requires Remote Login to be enabled and an unsandboxed app to run, granting access that the applicable privacy settings should deny.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.94%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authorization bypass in TCC on Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.3 allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through Remote Login. TCC handling for Secure Shell sessions does not require a separate Full Disk Access opt-in, allowing an unsandboxed app to evade configured privacy controls. Exploitation requires Remote Login to be enabled and an unsandboxed app to run, granting access that the applicable privacy settings should deny.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30856
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
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 <11.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.3

Published CVSS scores

9.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
5.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/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

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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