CVE-2024-40828: Apple macOS · A malicious app may be able to gain root privileges
Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.4 High · fixed in 12.7.6 : patch Apple macOS soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 17% 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:N/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 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Apple macOS | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
Organizations should immediately apply the security updates released by Apple for macOS Monterey 12.7.6, Sonoma 14.6, and Ventura 13.6.8 to remediate this vulnerability. Beyond patching, restrict local execution privileges by enforcing strict application whitelisting and endpoint protection policies to prevent untrusted applications from running. Employ least privilege principles to limit user permissions and reduce the attack surface. Monitor system logs and behavior for unusual privilege escalation attempts or suspicious local activity. Implement strong physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access to macOS devices. Regularly audit installed software and running processes to detect potential malicious applications. Educate users about the risks of executing unknown or untrusted software locally. Maintain up-to-date backups to recover from potential compromises. Finally, integrate macOS-specific threat detection tools that can identify privilege escalation 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 malicious app may be able to gain root 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)