CVE-2021-30975Public exploit

User-assisted file disclosure via unrestricted dictionary JavaScript

Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Incorrect authorization in Script Editor in Apple macOS allows attackers to read local files through a malicious OSAX bundle. An OSAX dictionary's embedded HTML renderer executes JavaScript without same-origin restrictions when Script Editor displays its .sdef content. The victim must open the crafted bundle; its JavaScript can evade Gatekeeper and the sandbox to access files available to that user.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability1.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in Script Editor in Apple macOS allows attackers to read local files through a malicious OSAX bundle. An OSAX dictionary's embedded HTML renderer executes JavaScript without same-origin restrictions when Script Editor displays its .sdef content. The victim must open the crafted bundle; its JavaScript can evade Gatekeeper and the sandbox to access files available to that user.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-30975
Published
Aug 24, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-863, T1204.002, T1553.001
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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <11.6
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.1
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <2021

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.6; version=unspecified <12.1; version=unspecified <2021

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1204.002Malicious File
T1553.001Gatekeeper Bypass

Public exploit references

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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