CVE-2026-112512 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. An app may be able to bypass Gatekeeper checks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical flaw in the path handling logic within Apple's operating system security infrastructure, specifically affecting components responsible for validating application integrity and origin before execution. This issue was addressed through improved validation mechanisms that ensure file paths are correctly interpreted and verified against established trust anchors. The fix is included in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, indicating a broad impact across multiple major releases of the macOS platform.
At its core, this vulnerability represents an improper input validation error where the system fails to adequately sanitize or normalize file paths before passing them to security checks. In many such scenarios, attackers can exploit path traversal techniques or symbolic link manipulation to redirect execution flow toward malicious binaries that have not undergone proper code signing verification. By crafting specific file structures or leveraging race conditions during the loading process, an attacker may trick the Gatekeeper subsystem into believing a compromised application is legitimate and signed by a trusted developer certificate. This bypass allows unsigned or improperly signed code to execute with elevated privileges or unrestricted access to system resources, effectively neutralizing one of macOS's primary defense layers against malware execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it undermines the fundamental trust model upon which modern operating systems rely for application integrity. Gatekeeper serves as a gatekeeping mechanism that checks whether applications are signed with an Apple-issued developer ID and verified to have not been tampered with since signing. When this check can be bypassed through path handling flaws, malicious actors gain the ability to deploy malware, spyware, or ransomware without triggering standard security alerts. This capability significantly lowers the barrier for entry in targeted attacks, allowing adversaries to execute arbitrary code on user devices even when strict security policies are enforced by default settings.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory and CWE-830 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sources. These categories highlight the failure to restrict access based on resource identifiers and the inclusion of external code without proper validation respectively. Furthermore, in terms of adversary tactics, this flaw facilitates techniques associated with MITRE ATT&CK T1204 User Execution, where malware is delivered via a file that appears legitimate but exploits system-level vulnerabilities to bypass execution restrictions. It may also relate to T1564 Hidden Files and Directories if the attack involves concealing malicious payloads within seemingly benign directory structures to evade detection by standard security monitoring tools.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must ensure that all macOS endpoints are updated to the latest patched versions mentioned above. Administrators should enforce strict application whitelisting policies where feasible and monitor for unusual execution patterns from non-standard directories or unsigned binaries. Additionally, enabling advanced threat protection features within Apple's ecosystem can provide an extra layer of behavioral analysis to detect exploitation attempts even if signature-based checks are bypassed. Regular auditing of installed applications and removal of unnecessary software further reduces the attack surface available for such path manipulation exploits.