CVE-2023-42859: Apple macOS · An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system
Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.7 High · fixed in 14.1 : patch Apple macOS soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 07:57 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 8% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 14.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NExploitation 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 2026-10-26.
What to do
AI-suggested
1. Immediate deployment of Apple’s security updates: macOS Sonoma 14.1, Monterey 12.7.1, and Ventura 13.6.1 or later versions that include the fix for CVE-2023-42859. 2. Restrict installation of applications to trusted sources such as the Apple App Store or enterprise-approved software repositories to reduce risk of malicious apps gaining local access. 3. Implement endpoint protection solutions that monitor and alert on unauthorized file system modifications, especially in protected system directories. 4. Enforce strict access controls and user privilege management to limit the number of users and processes with local access to macOS devices. 5. Conduct regular audits of installed applications and system file integrity to detect anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Educate users on the risks of installing untrusted software and the importance of physical security to prevent unauthorized local access. 7. Use macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Full Disk Encryption (FileVault) to add layers of defense. 8. For organizations with macOS device management, enforce policies that prevent execution of unsigned or unapproved binaries. These steps collectively reduce the attack surface and improve detection and response capabilities against exploitation of this vulnerability.
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 modify protected parts of the file system.
References
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213984 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213985 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT213983 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213985 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213984 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT213983 (opens in a new tab)