CVE-2024-40802: Apple macOS · A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges
Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High · fixed in 12.7.6 : patch Apple macOS soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 14% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 12.7.6
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 29 Jul 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 2026-10-26.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Apple macOS | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
To mitigate CVE-2024-40802, organizations should immediately apply the security updates released by Apple: macOS Monterey 12.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, and macOS Ventura 13.6.8 or later. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict local access controls and limit user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the attack surface. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for suspicious privilege escalation attempts. Regularly audit user accounts and installed software to detect unauthorized changes or privilege abuses. Employ application whitelisting and system integrity protection features native to macOS to prevent unauthorized code execution. Additionally, educate users about the risks of local access and enforce policies to prevent unauthorized physical or remote access to macOS devices. For environments with high security requirements, consider deploying additional host-based intrusion prevention systems (HIPS) and continuous monitoring to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts.
Description
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Monterey 12.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.6, macOS Ventura 13.6.8. A local attacker may be able to elevate their privileges.
References
- support.apple.com/en-us/120910 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/120911 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/120912 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT214120 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT214119 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/en-us/HT214118 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jul/20 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jul/18 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2024/Jul/19 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT214120 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT214119 (opens in a new tab)
- support.apple.com/kb/HT214118 (opens in a new tab)