CVE-2026-112534 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
This issue was addressed with improved access restrictions. 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 sandbox restrictions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a flaw in the operating system's access control mechanisms that allows applications to circumvent established sandbox boundaries. In modern computing environments, particularly within Apple’s ecosystem, sandboxes are critical security constructs designed to limit an application's ability to interact with other processes and sensitive areas of the file system. By restricting these interactions, the OS ensures that even if a malicious actor exploits code execution flaws within an app, their potential impact is contained. However, this specific issue represents a failure in enforcing those restrictions, effectively creating a path for privilege escalation or unauthorized data access by breaking down the isolation layers intended to protect user privacy and system integrity.
From a technical perspective, this flaw likely stems from improper validation of file descriptors, incorrect handling of inter-process communication channels, or a logic error in how the kernel evaluates permission requests against sandbox profiles. When an application attempts to perform operations outside its designated scope, such as reading files belonging to other users or accessing system configuration data, the security subsystem fails to deny the request as expected. This bypass allows the compromised process to operate with broader privileges than intended by the developer and enforced by the operating system. Such behavior aligns closely with CWE-250, which describes execution with unnecessary privileges, and CWE-787, where out-of-bounds writes or accesses occur due to insufficient boundary checks in security-critical code paths.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant because it undermines one of the primary defenses against malware propagation and data theft on macOS systems. An attacker who has achieved initial access through a separate vector, such as phishing or exploiting a browser vulnerability, could leverage this flaw to escape the sandbox environment. Once outside the sandbox, the attacker gains the ability to read sensitive user files, including documents, photos, and credentials stored in keychains, potentially leading to full system compromise if combined with other local escalation techniques. This scenario is consistent with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1055, which covers process injection or access to memory structures, as well as T1217 regarding browser sandbox bypasses, highlighting the risk of lateral movement and data exfiltration within a single user session.
To mitigate this risk, users must ensure that their systems are updated to macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, or macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, as these versions contain the necessary patches to correct the access control logic. Administrators should enforce automated update policies to minimize exposure windows for devices running affected operating system versions. Additionally, organizations can implement additional layers of defense such as strict application whitelisting and monitoring for unusual file access patterns that deviate from normal sandboxed behavior. While these mitigations do not replace patching, they provide compensating controls that reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation by restricting which applications are permitted to run and alerting security operations centers to potential abuse of system APIs associated with this vulnerability class.