CVE-2023-42877

Local modification of protected filesystem areas

Published Feb 21, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to modify protected file-system areas by running an app on an affected release. Apple has not published the specific PackageKit check or the untrusted operation that bypasses it, stating only that improved checks addressed the issue. Execution of an app on an affected Mac is required; the documented consequence is modification of protected file-system areas, with no published claim of code execution or service interruption.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
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

PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to modify protected file-system areas by running an app on an affected release. Apple has not published the specific PackageKit check or the untrusted operation that bypasses it, stating only that improved checks addressed the issue. Execution of an app on an affected Mac is required; the documented consequence is modification of protected file-system areas, with no published claim of code execution or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42877
Published
Feb 21, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1565.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 21, 2024CVE 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=12.0 <12.7.1
  2. Affected versionversion=13.0 <13.6
  3. Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.1
  4. Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.7
  5. Affected versionversion=unspecified <13.6
  6. Affected versionversion=unspecified <14.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=12.0 <12.7.1; version=13.0 <13.6; version=14.0 <14.1; version=unspecified <12.7; version=unspecified <13.6; version=unspecified <14.1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
7.7CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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 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

T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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