CVE-2023-42828

Local app-to-root privilege escalation

Published Jan 10, 2024 · Updated Jun 3, 2025

Local privilege escalation in Apple macOS Ventura before 13.5 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. The vulnerable code was in the crontabs component, but Apple has not disclosed which operation mishandles app-controlled input. Execution of a malicious local app and user interaction are required; successful exploitation grants root-level control of the Mac.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in Apple macOS Ventura before 13.5 allows local users to gain root privileges through a malicious app. The vulnerable code was in the crontabs component, but Apple has not disclosed which operation mishandles app-controlled input. Execution of a malicious local app and user interaction are required; successful exploitation grants root-level control of the Mac.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42828
Published
Jan 10, 2024
Updated
Jun 3, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 10, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 3, 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 <13.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <13.5

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
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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