CVE-2023-40422

Denial of service via QuartzCore memory mishandling

Published Sep 26, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Denial of service in QuartzCore in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users to interrupt the system by running a crafted app. QuartzCore mishandles memory while processing app-controlled data, but Apple has not disclosed the faulty operation or data format. Exploitation requires a local app to run; the documented consequence is limited to denial of service, without a specified hang, crash, or reboot mode.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
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

Denial of service in QuartzCore in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users to interrupt the system by running a crafted app. QuartzCore mishandles memory while processing app-controlled data, but Apple has not disclosed the faulty operation or data format. Exploitation requires a local app to run; the documented consequence is limited to denial of service, without a specified hang, crash, or reboot mode.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40422
Published
Sep 26, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1499.004
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

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/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.

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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

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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