CVE-2023-40434

Photo Library disclosure via insufficient configuration restrictions

Published Sep 26, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Information disclosure in Apple iCloud Photo Library before iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14 allows local users to access photos. The component's configuration applies insufficient restrictions to an app's access to the user's Photos Library; Apple has not disclosed the specific setting or access-control path. Execution of a locally installed app and user interaction are required, and the documented consequence is limited to photo-library confidentiality.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.27%
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

Information disclosure in Apple iCloud Photo Library before iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14 allows local users to access photos. The component's configuration applies insufficient restrictions to an app's access to the user's Photos Library; Apple has not disclosed the specific setting or access-control path. Execution of a locally installed app and user interaction are required, and the documented consequence is limited to photo-library confidentiality.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40434
Published
Sep 26, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
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

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 <17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=unspecified <17
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.

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
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

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