CVE-2023-23526Network attack vector

Gatekeeper bypass via unchecked shared-folder files

Published May 8, 2023 · Updated Jan 29, 2025

Gatekeeper bypass in Apple macOS before 13.3 and iOS and iPadOS before 16.4 allows remote attackers to evade file safety checks. Gatekeeper omits necessary validation for files downloaded from a sender-shared Apple cloud folder; Apple has not disclosed the specific missing state check. Exploitation requires a file to arrive through that cloud-sharing path, and the documented consequence is limited to bypassing Gatekeeper.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.73%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Gatekeeper bypass in Apple macOS before 13.3 and iOS and iPadOS before 16.4 allows remote attackers to evade file safety checks. Gatekeeper omits necessary validation for files downloaded from a sender-shared Apple cloud folder; Apple has not disclosed the specific missing state check. Exploitation requires a file to arrive through that cloud-sharing path, and the documented consequence is limited to bypassing Gatekeeper.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-23526
Published
May 8, 2023
Updated
Jan 29, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
T1553.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 29, 2025Record 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 <16.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <16.4
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <13.3

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1553.001Gatekeeper Bypass

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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