CVE-2024-44280VulnerabilityPublished 28 Oct 2024Updated 2 Apr 2026

CVE-2024-44280: 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 7.7 High · fixed in 15.1 : patch Apple macOS soon.

Data as of 25 Oct 2026, 19:02 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.7High

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

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 15.1

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

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
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: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
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: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
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 28 Oct 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 2026-10-25.

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 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-2024-44280, organizations should immediately apply the security updates provided by Apple in macOS Sequoia 15.1, Sonoma 14.7.1, and Ventura 13.7.1. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict application control policies to limit installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications, reducing the risk of local exploitation. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring and alerting on unauthorized modifications to protected file system areas. Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary to prevent unauthorized app installations or execution. Implement robust physical and logical access controls to limit local access to trusted personnel only. Regularly audit system integrity using file integrity monitoring tools to detect unexpected changes in critical system files. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified software and the importance of reporting suspicious behavior. For environments with sensitive data, consider deploying macOS security features such as System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Apple’s notarization requirements to further harden the system. Finally, maintain an incident response plan tailored to macOS environments to quickly address any exploitation attempts.

Description

A downgrade issue affecting Intel-based Mac computers was addressed with additional code-signing restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1. An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system.

Impact

The potential impact of CVE-2024-44280 is significant for organizations using Intel-based macOS systems. By allowing an application to modify protected parts of the file system without requiring privileges or user interaction, attackers could implant persistent malware, alter system binaries, or bypass security controls. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, compromise of system integrity, and potential lateral movement within networks. The confidentiality of data stored on affected systems is at high risk, as attackers could manipulate files or install backdoors. Although availability is not directly impacted, the integrity and confidentiality breaches could disrupt business operations, lead to data breaches, and damage organizational reputation. Enterprises with large macOS deployments, especially in sectors like technology, finance, and government, face elevated risks. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate insider threats or attacks via compromised user accounts. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk, but the high severity score and nature of the vulnerability necessitate prompt remediation to prevent future exploitation.

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 3 Apr 2026, 00:08 UTC

Technical details

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