High 7.2Published Apr 2, 2009

CVE-2009-1235XNU 1228.9.59 and earlier on Apple Mac OS X 10.5.6 and earlier does not properly restrict interaction between user space and the HFS IOCTL handler, which allows local users to overwrite kernel memory…

Updated under an hour ago (Nov 2, 2026, 1:40 AM ET)

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It affects apple mac_os_x and 1 other product. Add what you run to find out whether that includes you.

No exploitation reported and no EPSS estimate yet.

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XNU 1228.9.59 and earlier on Apple Mac OS X 10.5.6 and earlier does not properly restrict interaction between user space and the HFS IOCTL handler, which allows local users to overwrite kernel memory and gain privileges by attaching an HFS+ disk image and performing certain steps involving HFS_GET_BOOT_INFO fcntl calls.

CVSS: 7.2 HIGH (v2.0, NVD)AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness (CWE): CWE-264
Known exploited: Not in CISA's KEV catalog
EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days): Not loaded for this CVE
Assigned by: Not given
NVD analysis: Modified
Record last updated: Jun 16, 2026
First seen by InfoSec Signals: Nov 1, 2026

Affected products

Affected products

apple mac_os_x apple:mac_os_x	through 10.5.6; 10.0; 10.0.0; 10.0.1; 10.0.2; 10.0.3; 10.0.4; 10.1; and 51 more ranges	NVD
apple mac_os_x_server apple:mac_os_x_server	through 10.5.6; 10.0; 10.0.0; 10.0.1; 10.0.2; 10.0.3; 10.0.4; 10.1; and 47 more ranges	NVD

References

References

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2009/Aug/msg00001.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/34424
http://secunia.com/advisories/36096
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3757
http://www.digit-labs.org/files/exploits/xnu-hfs-fcntl-v2.c	exploit
http://www.digit-labs.org/files/exploits/xnu-hfs-fcntl-v2.sh	exploit
http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/mac/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=216401181
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/34203	exploit
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1022671
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-218A.html	us-government-resource
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The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry

The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.