CVE-2023-32413Public exploit

Root privilege escalation via unlocked file operations

Published Jun 23, 2023 · Updated Dec 5, 2024

Local privilege escalation in the Apple kernel on affected iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS releases allows local users to gain root privileges. On macOS, the /dev/fd filesystem performs file operations without proper locking, creating a time-of-check/time-of-use race that can overwrite a readable file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the device; Apple has not published whether the same /dev/fd locus applies to the other affected platforms.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.54%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in the Apple kernel on affected iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS releases allows local users to gain root privileges. On macOS, the /dev/fd filesystem performs file operations without proper locking, creating a time-of-check/time-of-use race that can overwrite a readable file. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the device; Apple has not published whether the same /dev/fd locus applies to the other affected platforms.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-32413
Published
Jun 23, 2023
Updated
Dec 5, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 23, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 5, 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 <15.7
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <16.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <15.7; version=unspecified <16.5
Apple · tvOSversion=unspecified <16.5
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.7; version=unspecified <12.6; version=unspecified <13.4
Apple · watchOSversion=unspecified <9.5

Published CVSS scores

7.0NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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