CVE-2023-40398

Local sandbox escape via undisclosed CoreServices checks

Published Jul 29, 2024 · Updated Mar 13, 2025

Sandbox escape in Apple macOS, iOS, and iPadOS allows local users to bypass restrictions from a sandboxed process. CoreServices applies checks to the sandboxed process, but Apple has not published the checked operation or input. Exploitation requires code already running locally inside a sandbox; the documented consequence is escape from that sandbox, while further access is unspecified.

CVSS severity8.8
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

Sandbox escape in Apple macOS, iOS, and iPadOS allows local users to bypass restrictions from a sandboxed process. CoreServices applies checks to the sandboxed process, but Apple has not published the checked operation or input. Exploitation requires code already running locally inside a sandbox; the documented consequence is escape from that sandbox, while further access is unspecified.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40398
Published
Jul 29, 2024
Updated
Mar 13, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
T1068, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 13, 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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <16.4
Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <11.7; version=unspecified <12.6; version=unspecified <13.3

Published CVSS scores

8.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation
T1404Exploitation 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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