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CVE-2024-40861VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2024-40861: Apple macOS · An app may be able to gain root privileges

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 06:26 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
7.8High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 11% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 16 Sep 2024

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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

ProductAffectedFixed in
Apple macOSAffected
  • =0
Fixed in–

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-40861, organizations should promptly update all macOS systems to version Sequoia 15 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, implement strict application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized or untrusted applications from executing. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts. Educate users about the risks of running unknown applications and the importance of cautious interaction with software prompts. Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary to reduce the attack surface. Regularly audit installed applications and running processes for anomalies. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, consider isolating macOS systems or limiting their network access to reduce exposure. Maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to mitigate the impact of potential compromise.

Description

The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15. An app may be able to gain root privileges.

References

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