CVE-2026-43741: Apple macOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-43741 Overview

CVE-2026-43741 is a logic flaw in Apple macOS that allows a local application to access protected user data. The issue stems from improper state management within the operating system's access control logic [CWE-284]. Apple addressed the vulnerability by improving state management across affected macOS releases. Successful exploitation requires local access and user interaction, but yields high confidentiality impact when triggered. Apple published fixes in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7.

Critical Impact
A malicious application running locally on an affected macOS system can bypass access controls and read protected user data, exposing sensitive files and personal information.

Affected Products

Apple macOS versions prior to Golden Gate 27
Apple macOS versions prior to Sequoia 15.8
Apple macOS versions prior to Tahoe 26.7

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-14 - CVE-2026-43741 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-09-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-43741

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2026-43741 is a logic flaw in macOS access control enforcement. The operating system fails to maintain correct state when evaluating whether an application is authorized to reach specific protected resources. As a result, a local application can reach user data that Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) or related privacy frameworks are intended to gate. Apple's advisory states the fix improves state management, indicating the pre-patch code path allowed authorization decisions to be made against stale or inconsistent state.

The vulnerability requires local execution and user interaction, so it is most relevant in scenarios where an attacker has already delivered code to the endpoint through phishing, a trojanized installer, or a malicious download. Once triggered, the flaw exposes protected user data without triggering the normal consent prompts that macOS enforces for private directories, contacts, calendars, photos, and similar resources.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper access control [CWE-284] driven by inadequate state management inside a privacy or entitlement check. When the relevant subsystem evaluates an application's request, the state used for the decision does not reliably reflect the caller's actual authorization context, so an unauthorized caller is treated as permitted.

Attack Vector

An attacker delivers a malicious application to the target macOS system and induces the user to launch it. The application then invokes the vulnerable code path to obtain protected user data without the normal consent prompt. No network access and no elevated privileges are required for exploitation.

No public proof-of-concept, exploit module, or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. See Apple's advisories for technical scope: Apple Support Article #149035, Apple Support Article #149042, and Apple Support Article #149043.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-43741

Indicators of Compromise

Unsigned or ad-hoc signed applications launched from user-writable directories such as ~/Downloads, ~/Library, or /tmp shortly before anomalous file reads under ~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/Messages, or ~/Library/Contacts.
Process access to TCC-protected paths without a corresponding tccd consent event in the Unified Log.
Applications reading sensitive user data outside of their declared entitlements or expected behavioral baseline.

Detection Strategies

Baseline normal application access to privacy-protected directories and alert on processes that read these paths without prior user consent prompts.
Correlate process launch telemetry with subsequent file access to protected user data locations to surface authorization bypass patterns.
Hunt for recently installed or newly signed applications that immediately access sensitive user data on first execution.

Monitoring Recommendations

Ingest macOS Endpoint Security framework events, including ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_OPEN and ES_EVENT_TYPE_NOTIFY_EXEC, into a centralized analytics platform for correlation.
Track the installed macOS build version across the fleet and alert on hosts running builds prior to Sequoia 15.8, Tahoe 26.7, or Golden Gate 27.
Monitor for anomalous access to ~/Library subdirectories that hold user data typically gated by macOS privacy controls.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-43741

Immediate Actions Required

Deploy Apple's security updates for macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7 across all managed endpoints.
Inventory macOS devices and prioritize patching for systems that handle sensitive user data or operate in high-risk roles.
Restrict installation of unsigned or unnotarized applications through Gatekeeper and mobile device management (MDM) policy.

Patch Information

Apple has released fixes in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7. Refer to Apple Support Article #149035, Apple Support Article #149042, and Apple Support Article #149043 for the version-specific advisories and installation guidance. Apply the update matching each endpoint's macOS train through Software Update or your MDM deployment tooling.

Workarounds

Apply the Apple security update; no vendor-supplied workaround exists for this issue.
Limit user accounts to standard (non-administrator) privileges to reduce the impact of a malicious application execution.
Enforce application allowlisting and require notarized signatures to reduce the likelihood that an untrusted binary reaches the vulnerable code path.

bash

# Verify installed macOS build and confirm patch level
sw_vers
softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart