CVE-2023-23520Network attack vector

Root file disclosure via Crash Reporter race

Published Feb 27, 2023 · Updated Mar 11, 2025

A race condition in Apple Crash Reporter on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, and watchOS allows attackers to read arbitrary files as root. Apple states that additional validation addresses the race but has not disclosed the competing operations or attacker-controlled input. Reaching the undisclosed race is required, and successful exploitation exposes file contents without reported modification or service interruption.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A race condition in Apple Crash Reporter on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, macOS, and watchOS allows attackers to read arbitrary files as root. Apple states that additional validation addresses the race but has not disclosed the competing operations or attacker-controlled input. Reaching the undisclosed race is required, and successful exploitation exposes file contents without reported modification or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23520
Published
Feb 27, 2023
Updated
Mar 11, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-367, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 11, 2025Record 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 <16.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <16.3
Apple · tvOSversion=unspecified <16.3
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <13.2
Apple · watchOSversion=unspecified <9.3

Published CVSS scores

5.9CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.9NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
T1005Data from Local System

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

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