CVE-2023-40455

Sandbox escape by local sandboxed processes

Published Sep 26, 2023 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Permissions handling in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users running a sandboxed process to circumvent sandbox restrictions. Apple identifies the flaw as a permissions issue addressed with additional restrictions but has not disclosed the affected component or incorrect authorization operation. Exploitation requires code already executing inside a macOS sandbox; the documented consequence is escape from those restrictions, with no more specific post-escape capability published.

CVSS severity10.0
Critical
EPSS probability1.04%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Permissions handling in Apple macOS before 14 allows local users running a sandboxed process to circumvent sandbox restrictions. Apple identifies the flaw as a permissions issue addressed with additional restrictions but has not disclosed the affected component or incorrect authorization operation. Exploitation requires code already executing inside a macOS sandbox; the documented consequence is escape from those restrictions, with no more specific post-escape capability published.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40455
Published
Sep 26, 2023
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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 privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <14

Published CVSS scores

10.0CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation 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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