| Apple Mac Studio M2 Max 2023 (Mac14,13)
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Security Grade
Calculator v1
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Apple Mac Studio (2023), M2 Max, base configuration
Category: Desktop computer • Model / Gen: 2023 M2 Max generation Mac14,13 (M2 Max; not Mac14,14 M2 Ultra)
Release Date: 2023-06-13 • Status: End of sale
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Security Evaluation
1. Device Security
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Known hardware tampering
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Rare
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[[1] 🔗 Proof]
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Qualitative physical-access rating under the site's broad rubric: exposed ports and a removable AC lead permit direct interference/power interruption. Apple's repair manual documents bottom-cover removal and service-removable SSD modules, power supply and ports. Rare is an assessor category for physical-access-dependent interference, not a measured attack rate.
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| Known vulnerabilities
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Very common
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[[2] 🔗 Proof]
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Assessor category for repeated published software vulnerabilities, not a measured device failure rate. Apple's macOS security bulletin lists many corrected issues and explicitly covers this model family. Historical disclosures do not mean a fully updated installation remains vulnerable. Chip-family SLAP/FLOP research is an additional source.
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| Prior attacks
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None
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[[3] 🔗 Proof]
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Bounded interpretation: no published in-the-wild attack incident identifying this exact hardware model was found in focused NVD/CISA/research searches as of 2026-10-23. Laboratory demonstrations and platform-wide incidents without hardware attribution are recorded separately as vulnerability evidence. None is not proof of no attacks or zero risk.
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| Updatability
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Very common
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[[4] 🔗 Proof]
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Apple publishes recurring macOS security releases, with multiple dated releases during 2026. This supported model can receive updates; the rating describes documented update availability, not proof that an individual owner installed them.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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2. System Security
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Authentication with other systems
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Partial
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[[5] 🔗 Proof]
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For ordinary HTTPS use, certificate validation authenticates the server. Client-certificate authentication is optional, so mutual system authentication is not universal. This rating does not assume an enterprise certificate configuration.
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| Communications
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Encrypted with up-to-date encryption
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[[6] 🔗 Proof]
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Scope: HTTPS application traffic negotiated using TLS 1.2/1.3 with current servers. macOS supports modern TLS and AES. This is not an all-traffic claim: Bonjour discovery and other optional/plaintext protocols exist, and a weak service configuration would require reassessment.
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| Storage
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Encrypted with up-to-date encryption
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[[7] 🔗 Proof]
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Scope: original internal APFS storage on Apple silicon. Apple documents AES-XTS and Secure Enclave key handling; internal volumes remain encrypted even with FileVault off. Enabling FileVault additionally binds access to the user's credentials. External disks and backups are outside this rating.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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3. User Authentication
| Criterion
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Value
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Proof
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Comment
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| Account management
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Full
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[[8] 🔗 Proof]
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macOS supports separate administrator, standard and sharing-only accounts, group permissions, and administrator account management. The assessment covers the local OS account system.
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| Authentication
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Basic
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[[9] 🔗 Proof]
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Local user/password login is documented. Basic is a conservative rubric choice: recovery configuration and every application/remote-service authentication boundary have not been audited. Optional Touch ID or Apple Account features are not assumed.
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| Brute-force protection
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Exist
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[[10] 🔗 Proof]
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Apple documents Secure Enclave-enforced startup password attempt limits and escalating delays. The documented limits are reimposed after restart and are not enforced in the same way after successful login. This is not a guarantee for every network service.
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| Event logging
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Partial logging
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[[11] 🔗 Proof]
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Console exposes collected system events, errors, status and process messages. This establishes logging, but does not establish comprehensive default audit coverage for every login, remote access and application action.
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| Passwords
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Require change after setup
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[[12] 🔗 Proof]
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Closest rubric category: Setup Assistant creates the owner's unique password; there is no shared factory login. This means a user-defined credential at first setup, not forced subsequent rotation. No unverified default complexity policy or MDM deployment is assumed.
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| Category Score
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Score: 2 / 3
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Technical Specifications
| Property
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Details
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| Operating System & App
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macOS (Apple silicon); current compatible release per Apple's model guide, installed version unverified. (Companion App: Standalone computer; Safari, App Store and macOS System Settings; no companion app required.)
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| Hardware (CPU / GPU)
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CPU: Apple M2 Max, 12-core CPU (8 performance + 4 efficiency) • GPU: Integrated Apple 30-core GPU (selected base; 38-core option)
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| Memory & Storage
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Memory: 32 GB unified memory (selected base; 64 GB option, 96 GB with 38-core GPU) • Storage: 512 GB internal SSD (selected base; 1/2/4/8 TB options)
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| Power, Battery & Charging
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Battery: No main operating battery; mains-powered desktop. • Power: 100-240 V AC, 50-60 Hz; 370 W maximum continuous rating, not typical consumption. • Charging: Not applicable; AC power cord.
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| Display & Camera
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Display: No built-in display; supports up to five external displays. • Camera: No built-in camera.
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| Sound & Connectivity
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Sound: Built-in speaker; 3.5 mm headphones and HDMI audio. • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 5.3; 10Gb Ethernet; 4 Thunderbolt 4, 2 USB-C 10Gb/s, 2 USB-A 5Gb/s, HDMI, SDXC UHS-II.
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| Physical (Dimensions & Mass)
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Dimensions: 95 x 197 x 197 mm (H x W x D) • Mass: 2700 g (M2 Max)
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Documentation-only assessment, checked 2026-10-23. Selected base hardware configuration; ordinary password-protected macOS setup with original internal storage, no assumed MDM policy, optional client certificate, or enabled remote service. Current supported macOS capability is assessed; installed OS/configuration on an actual unit was not inspected. HTTPS application traffic is the communications scope; the category is not a claim that every packet/protocol is encrypted. Password category maps first-setup unique user credentials to the closest offered choice. Hardware tampering follows the site's broad physical-access rubric: accessible ports, power interruption and documented component removal count as interference paths. Prior-attacks None means no qualifying exact-model in-the-wild incident found in a focused search, not no risk. Rare/Very common are qualitative assessor categories, not prevalence statistics. No penetration test, physical test or compliance certification was performed. Release date means first retail availability. Product facts and security evidence are separate; historical vulnerabilities need not remain exploitable after updates. Lifecycle status: End of sale in Apple's new-product lineup: EveryMac records this M2 Max model as discontinued on 2025-03-05. Retailer/refurbished stock may remain; this is not end of software support. Source: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac-studio/specs/mac-studio-m2-max-12-core-cpu-30-core-gpu-2023-specs.html Physical-access source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/104001
Proposed IDRS calculation under the assessment scope above: Device 2, System 2, User Authentication 2, total 6, grade B. Source methodology: https://fehmijaafar.net/wiki-iot/index.php/Methodology . This documentation-based rating is not an unconditional security certification.
Additional references:
