CVE-2026-113947 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. Unpacking a maliciously crafted archive may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described relates to the handling of compressed archives within the operating system, specifically affecting versions prior to macOS Golden Gate 27.2. The core technical flaw lies in insufficient access restrictions during the unpacking process of maliciously crafted archive files. When a user or an application attempts to extract contents from such an archive, the system fails to properly validate the integrity and structure of the compressed data before processing it. This lack of rigorous input validation allows attackers to embed specially constructed payloads that exploit weaknesses in the decompression logic. The issue is not merely about file format compliance but involves a deeper failure in how the operating system manages memory and execution contexts when interacting with untrusted archive files, leading to potential privilege escalation or unauthorized code execution if the extracted content triggers specific system functions without proper sandboxing checks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to both individual users and enterprise environments. An attacker could distribute a maliciously crafted archive through phishing emails, compromised websites, or other social engineering vectors. Upon extraction, whether initiated manually by a user or automatically by background services scanning for new files, the exploit can lead to unexpected application termination due to memory corruption or stack overflow conditions inherent in improper handling of malformed data structures. More critically, if the exploitation chain is fully realized, it may result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the current user process. This could allow an attacker to install malware, steal sensitive information, pivot within a network, or establish persistence mechanisms on the compromised system. The severity is amplified by the commonality of archive usage in daily computing tasks, making this attack vector highly accessible and difficult for end-users to detect without specialized security tools.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with several well-known vulnerability classifications defined by industry standards. It corresponds closely to CWE-20 Improper Input Validation, as the system fails to adequately sanitize or verify the contents of the archive before processing. Additionally, depending on the specific mechanism used for code execution, it may also relate to CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection) if the exploit involves injecting and executing malicious scripts or binaries. In terms of offensive security frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK, this vulnerability facilitates techniques such as T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for initial access via social engineering and potentially T1204 User Execution if it requires user interaction to trigger the unpacking process. The lack of robust sandboxing during extraction also touches upon principles related to insufficient isolation between untrusted data sources and system resources, which is a critical aspect of modern operating system security architecture.
Mitigation strategies primarily focus on applying the official software update provided by Apple in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, which addresses these access restrictions and improves validation logic during archive processing. Organizations should ensure that all endpoints are patched to this version or later as soon as possible. In addition to patching, defense-in-depth measures are recommended. Security teams should implement strict email filtering rules to block attachments containing executable content within archives unless explicitly whitelisted for specific trusted sources. Endpoint detection and response solutions should be configured to monitor for unusual process creation events following archive extraction activities, particularly if they involve spawning interpreters or shell commands from temporary directories where unpacked files are typically stored. User awareness training is also crucial, emphasizing the risks of opening archives from unknown senders and verifying the source integrity before interaction. Regular audits of third-party applications that handle file compression should be conducted to ensure they adhere to secure coding practices regarding input validation and memory management.