CVE-2026-84574: Apple macOS Privacy Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-84574 Overview

CVE-2026-84574 is a permissions vulnerability in Apple macOS that allows a local application to bypass Privacy preferences. The flaw stems from improper state management in the operating system's permission enforcement logic. Apple addressed the issue with improved state handling in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7. The weakness is categorized under [CWE-284] Improper Access Control. Exploitation requires local access and low privileges, but no user interaction. A successful bypass exposes user data protected by the Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) subsystem.

Critical Impact
A local application can circumvent Privacy preferences and access resources normally gated by user consent, undermining macOS TCC protections.

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-2026-84574 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-09-18 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-84574

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in macOS Privacy preference enforcement, which relies on the Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) framework. TCC gates application access to protected resources such as the camera, microphone, contacts, calendars, and Full Disk Access. Improper state management within the permission workflow allows a local application to reach protected resources without holding the required entitlement or user consent. Apple's advisory describes the fix as an improved state management correction, indicating that a transient or inconsistent internal state permitted the bypass. The issue is local in scope, requires low privileges, and does not require user interaction.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper access control ([CWE-284]) driven by inconsistent state handling in the Privacy subsystem. When permission state was not correctly tracked or validated across operations, an application could reference a resource in a window where the enforcement check returned a stale or incorrect authorization decision.

Attack Vector

An attacker must execute code locally on the target macOS host with standard user privileges. A malicious or repurposed application can then invoke the affected code path to access data or system features that TCC would normally block. No user prompt appears during the bypass, so the affected user has limited opportunity to detect the misuse. Apple has not published exploitation details, and no public proof-of-concept is available. Refer to the Apple Security Update #149035, Apple Security Update #149042, and Apple Security Update #149043 for vendor-provided technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-84574

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected application access to TCC-protected resources such as ~/Library/Calendars, ~/Library/Contacts, or camera and microphone devices without a corresponding consent prompt
Modifications or anomalous read operations against the TCC database at /Library/Application Support/com.apple.TCC/TCC.db or the per-user equivalent
Processes accessing protected resources despite absence of a matching entry in the TCC configuration

Detection Strategies

Baseline which applications legitimately access TCC-gated resources and alert on deviations
Monitor tccd and Endpoint Security Framework events for permission decisions that do not correlate with user interaction
Correlate application launch telemetry with subsequent access to sensitive resources to identify silent access patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable macOS unified logging with predicates targeting the com.apple.TCC subsystem and forward to a centralized log platform
Track process ancestry and code signature validity for any binary that touches Privacy-protected resources
Audit installed applications for unsigned or ad-hoc signed binaries running with access to sensitive data stores

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-84574

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade affected endpoints to macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, or macOS Tahoe 26.7 as applicable to the hardware
Inventory installed applications and remove untrusted or unsigned binaries capable of local execution
Review TCC-granted permissions in System Settings and revoke access for applications that do not require it

Patch Information

Apple has released fixes in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7. Consult the Apple Security Update #149035, Apple Security Update #149042, and Apple Security Update #149043 for the exact build numbers and download instructions. Apply the update through Software Update or your managed device platform.

Workarounds

Restrict local code execution by enforcing application allowlisting through Gatekeeper and notarization checks
Limit standard user accounts from installing third-party applications until patches are deployed
Monitor sensitive resource access with endpoint telemetry and investigate any bypass indicators promptly

bash

# Verify the installed macOS version meets the patched baseline
sw_vers -productVersion

# Trigger a managed software update check
sudo softwareupdate --list
sudo softwareupdate --install --all --restart