CVE-2026-112523 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
This issue was addressed with improved handling of symlinks. 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 access user-sensitive data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a flaw in the operating system's handling of symbolic links, which can allow an application to bypass intended security restrictions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive user data. Symbolic links are special files that act as pointers to other files or directories within the file system hierarchy. When these links are not processed with sufficient rigor by the underlying kernel or system services, it creates a potential avenue for path traversal attacks where malicious software can manipulate file paths to reach resources outside of its designated sandbox or permission scope. This specific issue highlights a failure in canonicalization logic, meaning that when an application requests access to a resource through a symlinked path, the operating system fails to properly resolve and validate the final target location before granting access permissions.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access, also known as a TOCTOU race condition or simple link following vulnerability if not handled atomically. In many modern operating systems including macOS, applications run within restricted environments designed to isolate them from the rest of the system and other user data. However, when an app constructs a file path that includes symbolic links, it expects the system to resolve these links safely. If the resolution process does strictly enforce access controls on the final target rather than just the initial link or intermediate directories, an attacker can craft symlinks pointing to sensitive areas such as home directory configurations, keychains, or private documents. This allows a potentially malicious app to read data it should not have permission to view, effectively breaking the sandbox boundary that protects user privacy and security integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for end-users whose personal information could be exfiltrated without their knowledge. An application exploiting this flaw does not need elevated privileges or complex exploits; it merely needs to construct specific file paths involving symlinks pointing to protected resources. Once the app accesses these files, it can copy sensitive credentials, financial records, health data, or private communications and transmit them to external servers. This undermines trust in the platform's security model and exposes users to identity theft, fraud, and further compromise if those accessed credentials are reused across other services. The severity is compounded by the fact that such vulnerabilities often go undetected until a sophisticated threat actor actively exploits them for targeted attacks rather than broad automated scanning.
To mitigate this risk, it is critical to apply the provided updates immediately as they contain improved handling logic for symbolic links within the file system access controls. For macOS users, updating to Golden Gate 27.2, Sequoia 15.8.2, or Tahoe 26.7.2 ensures that the kernel correctly validates and restricts access through symlinks according to strict security policies. Developers should also review their applications for any custom file path handling logic that might rely on symlink resolution without proper validation against current system standards. Implementing defense-in-depth strategies such as mandatory access control systems like SELinux or AppArmor, although less common in macOS environments compared to Linux, can provide additional layers of protection by enforcing strict rules on which processes can follow links and access specific file paths. Regular security audits and static code analysis tools configured to detect unsafe symlink usage patterns are recommended practices for maintaining long-term application security posture aligned with industry standards like MITRE ATT&CK technique T1083 File and Directory Discovery, where adversaries enumerate files to locate valuable targets before exfiltration.