CVE-2021-30968

Privacy-control bypass via hard-link validation flaw

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Sandbox bypass in Apple macOS, iOS and iPadOS, and watchOS allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through a malicious app. The Sandbox insufficiently validates hard-link behavior, allowing crafted filesystem links to evade restrictions protecting privacy-controlled resources. Exploitation requires execution of a malicious local application and user interaction; Apple has not identified the specific data exposed.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.06%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Sandbox bypass in Apple macOS, iOS and iPadOS, and watchOS allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through a malicious app. The Sandbox insufficiently validates hard-link behavior, allowing crafted filesystem links to evade restrictions protecting privacy-controlled resources. Exploitation requires execution of a malicious local application and user interaction; Apple has not identified the specific data exposed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30968
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-59, T1203
Attack vector
local
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 <15.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <15.2
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.6; version=unspecified <12.1; version=unspecified <15.2; version=unspecified <2021
Apple · watchOSversion=unspecified <8.3

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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