CVE-2026-64737 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. A malicious app may be able to break out of its sandbox.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the fundamental security boundaries of Apple's operating systems. The issue stems from inadequate state management within the system's permission architecture, creating a pathway for malicious applications to bypass sandbox restrictions and escalate their privileges. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they directly compromise the isolation mechanisms that protect users from potentially harmful software. The weakness allows an attacker to craft applications that can break out of their designated execution environment, effectively removing the protective barriers that normally prevent unauthorized access to system resources and user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in maintaining proper security context during application execution. When applications operate within sandboxed environments, they should be confined to predefined resource access boundaries that prevent them from interacting with other applications or system components. However, the flawed state management allows for improper transitions between different security contexts, enabling unauthorized code execution outside of normal operational constraints. This type of flaw commonly maps to CWE-284 which specifically addresses inadequate access control mechanisms and improper privilege management within software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple sandbox escape capabilities. Once an application successfully breaks out of its sandbox, it gains access to sensitive system resources that could include user data, network communications, file system access, and potentially even hardware-level operations. This escalation of privileges creates numerous attack vectors for cybercriminals who can leverage the compromised application to perform reconnaissance activities, exfiltrate confidential information, or establish persistent access points within the affected system. The implications are particularly severe given that macOS operating systems are widely used in enterprise environments where they often handle sensitive corporate data and personal information.
The affected versions represent a significant portion of Apple's user base including macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.6, indicating that this vulnerability has been present across multiple major releases and represents a widespread concern for system administrators and security professionals. Organizations should immediately prioritize patching these systems as the window for exploitation remains open while attackers continue to develop and deploy malicious applications targeting these specific versions. The remediation process involves updating to the patched versions which implement improved state management protocols that properly maintain security context boundaries during application execution.
From a threat actor perspective, this vulnerability aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the use of sandbox escape methods to gain elevated system access. Security teams should monitor for suspicious application behavior patterns and implement additional detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The fix addresses fundamental security architecture issues rather than merely patching specific code locations, suggesting a comprehensive approach to improving system integrity management and state tracking mechanisms. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments of their existing applications to ensure they are not inadvertently creating conditions that could enable similar vulnerabilities through improper implementation of system calls or resource access patterns.