CVE-2023-38410

Local privilege escalation

Published Jul 26, 2023 · Updated Oct 23, 2024

Local privilege escalation in the Apple kernel in iOS and iPadOS before 16.6 and macOS Ventura before 13.5 allows local users to gain privileges. Apple states only that the kernel performed inadequate checks and has not disclosed the affected operation, input, or code path. Exploitation requires a local user or app context and results in privilege elevation; no remote reachability or other consequence is reported.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.19%
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 in iOS and iPadOS before 16.6 and macOS Ventura before 13.5 allows local users to gain privileges. Apple states only that the kernel performed inadequate checks and has not disclosed the affected operation, input, or code path. Exploitation requires a local user or app context and results in privilege elevation; no remote reachability or other consequence is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38410
Published
Jul 26, 2023
Updated
Oct 23, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-276, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 23, 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 <16.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <16.6
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <13.5

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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