VulnerabilityPublished 11 Dec 2024Updated 2 Apr 2026

CVE-2024-44243: Apple macOS · An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.5 Medium · fixed in 15.2 : update Apple macOS when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

5.5Medium

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 48% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 15.2

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: None
Integrity: High
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Local: The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker’s path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction: Required: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: None: There is no loss of confidentiality within the impacted component.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 11 Dec 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.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
Apple macOS	Affected =0	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2024-44243, organizations and users should: 1) Immediately apply the security updates provided in macOS Sequoia 15.2 and macOS Sonoma 14.7.3 or later versions to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2) Enforce strict application control policies using Apple’s built-in tools such as Gatekeeper and System Integrity Protection (SIP) to prevent unauthorized applications from running or modifying system files. 3) Educate users about the risks of running untrusted applications and the importance of avoiding suspicious prompts that require user interaction. 4) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring file system changes in protected areas to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Regularly audit system integrity and verify critical system files using cryptographic hashes or Apple’s built-in system verification tools. 6) Limit local user privileges where possible to reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized application installations. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific exploitation vector and system areas affected by this vulnerability.

Description

A configuration issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.3. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2024-44243 is on the integrity of affected macOS systems. By allowing an application to modify protected file system areas, attackers could implant persistent malware, alter system binaries, or disable security features, potentially leading to long-term compromise of the system. Although the vulnerability does not directly affect confidentiality or availability, the integrity compromise can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation, data tampering, or evasion of detection. Organizations relying on macOS devices, especially in sensitive environments, risk system instability, unauthorized control, and potential lateral movement within networks if exploited. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, particularly in environments where users may be tricked into running malicious applications or scripts. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation attempts.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 3 Apr 2026, 00:01 UTC

Technical details

References

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