CVE-2023-38601

Protected file-system modification by local apps

Published Jul 28, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Protection bypass in Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.7.9, Monterey before 12.6.8, and Ventura before 13.5 allows attackers to modify protected files. The flaw is in the bundled Net-SNMP component, but Apple has not published the vulnerable code path or the operation that bypasses file-system protection. Exploitation requires attackers to run an app locally on the Mac; the documented consequence is modification of protected file-system areas.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.72%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Protection bypass in Apple macOS Big Sur before 11.7.9, Monterey before 12.6.8, and Ventura before 13.5 allows attackers to modify protected files. The flaw is in the bundled Net-SNMP component, but Apple has not published the vulnerable code path or the operation that bypasses file-system protection. Exploitation requires attackers to run an app locally on the Mac; the documented consequence is modification of protected file-system areas.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38601
Published
Jul 28, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
Unavailable
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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 <11.7
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.6
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <13.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.7; version=unspecified <12.6; version=unspecified <13.5

Published CVSS scores

7.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

No sourced classifications are available.

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

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo