CVE-2023-40386

Notes attachment disclosure via temporary-file handling

Published Sep 26, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Temporary-file privacy failure in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users to access attachments created by the Notes app. Apple states that Notes mishandles temporary files but has not disclosed the exact file operation or missing access-control step. Exploitation requires a local app and user interaction, and the documented consequence is limited to reading Notes attachments.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Temporary-file privacy failure in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users to access attachments created by the Notes app. Apple states that Notes mishandles temporary files but has not disclosed the exact file operation or missing access-control step. Exploitation requires a local app and user interaction, and the documented consequence is limited to reading Notes attachments.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40386
Published
Sep 26, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 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 <14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <14

Published CVSS scores

3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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

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Your stack

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