Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
On macOS developer machines running affected Laravel Valet versions, a local user may alter the valet command so it runs code as root. This is not a remote internet bug, but it can turn a compromised or low-privileged local account into full device control.
Executive priority
Prioritize developer Macs and build-adjacent workstations. Treat as high urgency where devices are shared, have sensitive code access, or face elevated endpoint compromise risk. No active exploitation evidence was provided in the sources.
Technical view
CVE-2021-47756 affects Laravel Valet 1.1.4 through 2.0.3 on macOS. The issue is improper permissions around the symlinked valet command, allowing local modification and later root-level code execution without additional authentication. It maps to CWE-732 and has CVSS 4.0 score 8.4.
Likely exposure
Exposure is mainly macOS developer workstations using Laravel Valet, especially PHP/Laravel development environments. It is not described as remotely exploitable from the internet. Risk increases on shared Macs, CI-like developer hosts, or endpoints where an attacker already has local access.
Exploitation context
A public ExploitDB entry is referenced, so exploit information is publicly available. The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or confirmed active exploitation. Exploitation requires local access and targets privilege escalation rather than initial compromise.
Researcher notes
The issue is a local privilege escalation, not remote code execution. CVSS indicates local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and high host impact. Patch details are not explicit in the provided sources, so remediation should track vendor guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Identify macOS systems running Laravel Valet.
- Check whether Valet versions are 1.1.4 through 2.0.3.
- Review Laravel and VulnCheck guidance for fixed versions or vendor-recommended remediation.
- Restrict local account access on developer Macs until remediated.
- Prioritize endpoint monitoring for privilege escalation on affected systems.
Validation and detection
- Inventory developer Macs for Laravel Valet installations.
- Confirm installed Valet versions against the affected range.
- Review ownership and permissions of the symlinked valet command.
- Verify remediation using vendor guidance, not assumptions.
- Document systems where Valet is absent or outside the affected range.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-732: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup
Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupPrivilege behavior lookup
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-47756 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 8.4 (4.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N——Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 4.0 score
8.4HighVector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- ExploitDB-50591CVE reference · exploit
- Laravel Valet Official DocumentationCVE reference · product
- VulnCheck Advisory: Laravel Valet 2.0.3 - Local Privilege Escalation (macOS)CVE reference · third-party-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.