VulnerabilityPublished 11 Dec 2024Updated 2 Apr 2026

CVE-2024-54528: Apple macOS · An app may be able to overwrite arbitrary files

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.1 High · fixed in 15.2 : patch Apple macOS soon.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:12 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.1High

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

EPSS: 0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 13% 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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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

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: Low: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources.
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: 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: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

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

Organizations should immediately verify their macOS versions and apply the security updates provided in macOS Sequoia 15.2, Sonoma 14.7.2, and Ventura 13.7.2 or later. Beyond patching, organizations should implement strict application control policies to limit the installation and execution of untrusted or unsigned applications, reducing the risk of local exploitation. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor for unusual file modification activities, especially those targeting system or configuration files. Restrict local user privileges to the minimum necessary to reduce the attack surface. Regularly audit file integrity on critical systems to detect unauthorized changes. In environments where patching is delayed, consider isolating vulnerable macOS systems or limiting local access to trusted users only. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted applications and maintain robust backup and recovery procedures to mitigate potential data loss. Finally, monitor security advisories from Apple and threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploit reports or additional mitigation guidance.

Description

A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.2, macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, macOS Ventura 13.7.2. An app may be able to overwrite arbitrary files.

Impact

This vulnerability can have severe consequences for organizations worldwide, particularly those relying heavily on macOS systems. An attacker with local access and limited privileges can overwrite arbitrary files, potentially leading to system instability, denial of service, or the corruption of critical data. This could disrupt business operations, cause data loss, or enable further attacks such as privilege escalation or persistence mechanisms by replacing system binaries or configuration files. Environments with shared or multi-user access, such as enterprise networks, educational institutions, or public kiosks, are especially vulnerable. The lack of required user interaction increases the risk of automated or stealthy exploitation by malicious apps or insiders. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability's presence in widely used macOS versions means that threat actors may develop exploits, increasing the urgency for mitigation. The impact on availability and integrity can also affect critical infrastructure sectors that use Apple devices, including finance, healthcare, and government agencies.

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 3 Apr 2026, 00:23 UTC

Technical details

References

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