CVE-2021-30863

Physical authentication bypass via 3D facial model

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Authentication bypass in Face ID in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15 allows physically proximate attackers to authenticate as the enrolled user. Face ID's anti-spoofing models accept a crafted 3D likeness as a match for the enrolled user's face. Physical access to a Face ID device and a constructed likeness are required; successful spoofing grants the same authentication as the enrolled user.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.27%
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 Face ID in Apple iOS and iPadOS before 15 allows physically proximate attackers to authenticate as the enrolled user. Face ID's anti-spoofing models accept a crafted 3D likeness as a match for the enrolled user's face. Physical access to a Face ID device and a constructed likeness are required; successful spoofing grants the same authentication as the enrolled user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30863
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

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 vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <15

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
6.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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