CVE-2023-42840VulnerabilityPublished 21 Feb 2024Updated 4 Nov 2025

CVE-2023-42840: Apple macOS · An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 4.3 Medium · fixed in 14.1 : update Apple macOS when convenient.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

4.3Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 15% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 14.1

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Attack Vector: Adjacent
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: Low
Integrity: None
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Adjacent: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack, but the attack is limited at the protocol level to a logically adjacent topology. This can mean an attack must be launched from the same shared physical (e.g., Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11) or logical (e.g., local IP subnet) network, or from within a secure or otherwise limited administrative domain (e.g., MPLS, secure VPN to an administrative network zone).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: Low: There is some loss of confidentiality. Access to some restricted information is obtained, but the attacker does not have control over what information is obtained, or the amount or kind of loss is limited. The information disclosure does not cause a direct, serious loss to the impacted component.
Integrity: None: There is no loss of integrity within the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 21 Feb 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-25.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

1. Immediately update all macOS devices to the patched versions: Sonoma 14.1, Monterey 12.7.1, or Ventura 13.6.1. 2. Enforce strict application installation policies, allowing only trusted and vetted apps to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting the vulnerability. 3. Monitor network segments for unusual adjacent network activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit adjacent network access to macOS devices, especially in sensitive environments. 5. Educate users about the importance of applying system updates promptly and recognizing suspicious app behaviors. 6. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of detecting anomalous access to sensitive data by applications. 7. Regularly audit macOS devices for compliance with security policies and patch levels. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on network-level controls and application trust management specific to this vulnerability's attack vector and impact.

Description

The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.1, macOS Monterey 12.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.6.1. An app may be able to access user-sensitive data.

Impact

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2023-42840 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user data on macOS devices. This could lead to privacy violations, leakage of confidential information, and potential compliance issues under regulations such as GDPR. While the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach could undermine trust and lead to reputational damage. Organizations with remote or hybrid workforces using macOS devices connected to adjacent networks (e.g., corporate Wi-Fi) are at higher risk. The absence of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the threat surface. However, the lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk. Still, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against high-value individuals or organizations, especially those handling sensitive personal or business data.

CWE-922Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information (opens in a new tab)
Class weaknessOWASP Top 10 A01:2025: Broken Access Control (opens in a new tab)
The product stores sensitive information without properly limiting read or write access by unauthorized actors.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Authorization (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V8.1.6 (opens in a new tab)
V8.2.3 (opens in a new tab)
V8.2.2 (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 4 Nov 2025, 20:15 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-922

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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