CVE-2024-40778

Hidden-photo disclosure via authentication state mishandling

Published Jul 29, 2024 · Updated Apr 2, 2026

Improper authentication in Apple Photos Storage allows local users to view Hidden Album photos on affected iOS, iPadOS, and macOS releases. Apple attributes the flaw to deficient state management but has not disclosed the affected function or the state transition that skips authentication. Local low-privileged access is required; affected releases are iOS and iPadOS before 16.7.9 on the 16.x line or before 17.6 on the 17.x line, and macOS Sonoma before 14.6, with impact limited to reading hidden photos.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in Apple Photos Storage allows local users to view Hidden Album photos on affected iOS, iPadOS, and macOS releases. Apple attributes the flaw to deficient state management but has not disclosed the affected function or the state transition that skips authentication. Local low-privileged access is required; affected releases are iOS and iPadOS before 16.7.9 on the 16.x line or before 17.6 on the 17.x line, and macOS Sonoma before 14.6, with impact limited to reading hidden photos.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-40778
Published
Jul 29, 2024
Updated
Apr 2, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-287, T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 29, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 2, 2026Record 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=0 <16.7.9
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <17.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=0 <16.7.9; version=0 <17.6
Apple · macOSversion=0 <14.6

Published CVSS scores

3.3CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
3.3NISTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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