CVE-2026-1290 is an authentication bypass vulnerability identified in Jamf Pro, a widely used Apple device management platform. The vulnerability affects versions from 11.20 through 11.24 and is categorized under CWE-305, which relates to primary weaknesses in authentication mechanisms. The flaw allows an attacker with low privileges (PR:L) to bypass authentication controls without requiring any user interaction (UI:N) or elevated privileges beyond low-level access. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning the attacker can exploit this remotely. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.3, indicating medium severity, with low attack complexity (AC:L) and no requirement for user interaction or privileges beyond low-level access. The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is low (VC:L, VI:N, VA:N), suggesting that while unauthorized access is possible, the scope of damage may be limited or requires further exploitation. No known public exploits or active exploitation have been reported to date. The vulnerability likely arises from improper authentication checks or logic flaws that allow bypassing login or session validation mechanisms. Jamf Pro is critical for managing Apple devices in enterprise environments, and unauthorized access could lead to manipulation of device configurations, deployment of malicious profiles, or exposure of sensitive management data. The absence of patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate risk mitigation by restricting access and monitoring. Given Jamf Pro’s popularity in organizations with large Apple device fleets, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk to IT infrastructure security.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a risk of unauthorized access to Jamf Pro management consoles, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate device management policies, deploy malicious configurations, or access sensitive information about managed Apple devices. This could lead to broader compromise of endpoint security, data leakage, or disruption of device management operations. Organizations relying heavily on Apple ecosystems, such as those in education, healthcare, and government sectors, may face increased risk. The medium severity score reflects that while the vulnerability does not directly compromise system integrity or availability, the authentication bypass could serve as a stepping stone for further attacks. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits post-disclosure. European entities with remote or internet-facing Jamf Pro consoles are particularly vulnerable. The impact is compounded in environments where Jamf Pro is integrated with other critical IT systems or where privileged credentials are reused. Failure to address this vulnerability could result in unauthorized administrative actions, compliance violations, and reputational damage.

1. Monitor Jamf’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2026-1290 and apply them promptly once released. 2. Restrict network access to Jamf Pro management interfaces using firewalls, VPNs, or zero-trust network access solutions to limit exposure to trusted administrators only. 3. Implement strong network segmentation to isolate Jamf Pro servers from general user networks and the internet. 4. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all administrative accounts, even if the vulnerability bypasses some authentication steps, to add an additional security layer. 5. Conduct regular audits of Jamf Pro access logs to detect unusual or unauthorized login attempts or configuration changes. 6. Review and minimize the number of users with administrative privileges in Jamf Pro to reduce the attack surface. 7. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools on managed devices to identify suspicious activities potentially resulting from compromised Jamf Pro access. 8. Educate IT staff about this vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include scenarios involving Jamf Pro compromise. 9. If immediate patching is not possible, consider temporarily disabling remote access to Jamf Pro consoles or placing them behind strict access controls. 10. Maintain up-to-date backups of Jamf Pro configurations and device management data to enable recovery in case of compromise.