Local privilege escalation via FileURL use-after-free
Published Mar 28, 2024 · Updated Nov 4, 2025
Apple macOS FileURL use-after-free allows local users to elevate privileges in Monterey before 12.7.2, Ventura before 13.6.3, and Sonoma before 14.2. FileURL accesses memory after its lifetime has ended, but Apple has not disclosed the triggering input or affected function. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and can cross a privilege boundary; no remote path or broader consequence is reported.
Summary
What happened
Apple macOS FileURL use-after-free allows local users to elevate privileges in Monterey before 12.7.2, Ventura before 13.6.3, and Sonoma before 14.2. FileURL accesses memory after its lifetime has ended, but Apple has not disclosed the triggering input or affected function. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and can cross a privilege boundary; no remote path or broader consequence is reported.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-42892
- Published
- Mar 28, 2024
- Updated
- Nov 4, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 28, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=12.0 <12.7.2
- Affected versionversion=13.0 <13.6.3
- Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.2
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.7
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <13.6
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <14.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
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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