CVE-2026-112539 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. A malicious app may be able to read or write to protected files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a permissions bypass that allows unauthorized applications to access sensitive system resources on Apple operating systems including macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. This issue stems from insufficient restrictions in the underlying security architecture which governs file system access controls. In a properly secured environment, applications are subject to strict sandboxing policies that limit their ability to read or write data outside of designated directories unless explicit user consent is granted through standardized permission dialogs. The flaw identified here indicates that these safeguards were not adequately enforced for certain protected files, creating an avenue for privilege escalation and unauthorized data access.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-269 which classifies Improper Privilege Management. When the operating system fails to correctly validate the permissions of an application attempting to interact with restricted areas of the file system, it effectively grants that application capabilities beyond its intended scope. This can occur due to misconfigured access control lists or logical errors in the kernel-level security modules responsible for enforcing sandbox boundaries. A malicious actor exploiting this flaw could craft a payload designed to trigger these permission checks incorrectly, thereby gaining read and write access to files that should remain immutable or private to system processes and authorized users.
The operational impact of such a vulnerability is significant as it compromises both confidentiality and integrity within the macOS ecosystem. An attacker leveraging this weakness can exfiltrate sensitive user data including documents, credentials stored in keychains, or configuration files containing API keys and other secrets. Furthermore the ability to write to protected files allows for persistence mechanisms where malware can modify system binaries or launch agents to ensure continued access even after reboots. This undermines the trust model of the operating system which relies on strict isolation between applications to prevent lateral movement within a compromised environment.
This type of flaw is also relevant to MITRE ATT&CK techniques particularly those related to Defense Evasion and Credential Access such as T1530 Data from Local System or T1222 File and Directory Permissions Modification. By manipulating file permissions or bypassing them entirely, attackers can alter security configurations to disable logging or hide malicious artifacts making detection more difficult for endpoint protection solutions. The existence of this vulnerability highlights the critical importance of rigorous code review processes during OS development especially concerning components that handle low-level system calls and access control decisions.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying the provided software updates which address these additional restrictions in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, Sequoia 15.8.2, and Tahoe 26.7.2. Administrators should ensure timely patching cycles are maintained to minimize exposure windows. Additionally organizations can enforce stricter application control policies using tools like Apple's Managed Preferences or third-party endpoint security solutions that monitor for unauthorized file system modifications. Regular auditing of installed applications and their requested permissions helps in identifying any anomalies early before they can be exploited by sophisticated threat actors seeking to compromise macOS environments.