CVE-2026-43766 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2026
An authorization issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6. An attacker with physical access to a locked device may be able to view sensitive user information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
This authorization vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the operating system's state management mechanisms that allows unauthorized access to sensitive user data when a device is locked. The issue stems from inadequate session handling and privilege escalation controls that fail to properly enforce access restrictions when a system transitions from an active to a locked state. The vulnerability specifically affects macOS versions where the system's authorization framework does not adequately invalidate or restrict access to user information during the lock screen transition period, creating a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in how the operating system manages user session states and memory access controls when transitioning between unlocked and locked conditions. When a device is locked, proper authorization mechanisms should immediately revoke access to sensitive data stores, application contexts, and system resources that were previously accessible to authenticated users. However, this vulnerability indicates that certain system components maintain their access privileges or that the state transition process fails to properly invalidate these permissions, allowing an attacker with physical access to potentially bypass normal security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it fundamentally compromises the device's security model and user privacy assurances. An attacker with physical access to a locked device can leverage this authorization flaw to view sensitive information including but not limited to personal documents, communication records, application data, and potentially authentication credentials stored in memory. This represents a significant risk for users who rely on their devices for confidential activities such as business communications, financial transactions, or personal privacy protection. The vulnerability essentially undermines the core security assumption that locked devices provide adequate protection against unauthorized access.
The fix implemented by Apple addresses this issue through enhanced state management protocols that properly enforce access control boundaries during device lock transitions. This includes improved session invalidation procedures, stricter memory access controls, and more robust privilege separation mechanisms that ensure no unauthorized processes or users can access sensitive data when the system is in a locked state. The mitigations align with established security principles outlined in the common weakness enumeration framework under cwe-284, which addresses improper access control vulnerabilities. Additionally, this vulnerability type corresponds to techniques described in the attack tactics and techniques framework where adversaries may leverage physical access to exploit authorization flaws, particularly in the credential access and privilege escalation domains.
Organizations should prioritize updating affected systems to the patched versions of macOS Sequoia 14.8.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.6, as these updates provide the necessary state management improvements to prevent unauthorized data access during device lock transitions. Security administrators should also consider implementing additional protective measures such as full disk encryption and secure boot configurations that provide defense-in-depth against physical access attacks, ensuring that even if an attacker can bypass the authorization checks through other means, they still cannot easily access the underlying encrypted data. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper session management and access control enforcement as fundamental security requirements in operating system design, particularly for systems handling sensitive user information where physical security boundaries may be compromised.