CVE-2023-42889

Privacy-control bypass via insufficient PackageKit checks

Published Feb 21, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Authentication bypass in PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through a malicious app. Apple states only that PackageKit performed insufficient checks and has not published the checked object, request path, or exact trust decision. Execution of an app and user interaction are required; the documented consequence is limited to evading selected privacy controls, with no reported code execution or privilege gain.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.34%
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

Authentication bypass in PackageKit in Apple macOS allows local users to bypass Privacy preferences through a malicious app. Apple states only that PackageKit performed insufficient checks and has not published the checked object, request path, or exact trust decision. Execution of an app and user interaction are required; the documented consequence is limited to evading selected privacy controls, with no reported code execution or privilege gain.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-42889
Published
Feb 21, 2024
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-290, T1548.006
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=unspecified <12.7
  2. Affected versionversion=unspecified <13.6
  3. Affected versionversion=unspecified <14.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <12.7; version=unspecified <13.6; version=unspecified <14.1

Published CVSS scores

5.3CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/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 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

CWE-290Authentication Bypass by Spoofing
T1548.006Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: TCC 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