IRONSMITHINTEL
MEDIUMCVSS5.5
|
Actively Exploited
|CISA KEV|CVE-2021-30657|Auth: none — unauthenticated|Reboot: required|Manual only

Apple macOS Unspecified Vulnerability (CVE-2021-30657)

Apple macOS contains an unspecified logic issue in System Preferences that may allow a malicious application to bypass Gatekeeper checks.

Published Sep 8, 2021 · Updated May 17, 2026
Why patchRisk explained in plain English
Worst-case scenarioIf unpatched

A local attacker, without authentication, can achieve partial data exposure, arbitrary modification of data. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2021-11-17 under CISA BOD 22-01.

How the attack worksNo clicks needed

This is a Missing Authorization (CWE-862) vulnerability in Apple macOS. A logic issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.3, Security Update 2021-002 Catalina. A malicious application may bypass Gatekeeper checks. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.. Exploitation requires local access, low attack complexity, no authentication required, and user interaction required.

Am I affected?Quick check

Probably yes if any of these apply:

●Apple Device Administrators
●Endpoint Security
●IT Security
●Running mac os x: 10.15 ≤ v ≤ 10.15.5, 10.15.6, 10.15.7; macos: 11.0 ≤ v < 11.3
Real-world incidentsWhat we've seen

CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2021-11-17.

How to patch

Manual remediation steps

1
Identify affected hosts: query inventory for os installs in scope.
2
Apply the vendor security update referenced in CVE-2021-30657's advisory. No specific KB/version is encoded yet — consult the linked MSRC/vendor URL.
3
Verify the fix per the vendor's published verification steps.
4
Document the remediation in your change ticket and re-scan with your vulnerability scanner to confirm closure.
PowerShell automationComing soon

No tested PowerShell script for this entry yet. We’re prioritising automation based on user demand.

References

↗ CVE-2021-30657↗ MSRC Advisory↗ NVD↗ Vendor Advisory