CVE-2026-20606 is a vulnerability identified in Apple macOS and related operating systems that enables an application to bypass certain privacy preferences configured by the user. This flaw stems from a weakness classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information), indicating that the vulnerability allows unauthorized access to sensitive data or system capabilities that should be restricted by privacy settings. The affected products include multiple recent versions of macOS (Tahoe 26.3, Sonoma 14.8.4, Sequoia 15.7.4) as well as iOS and iPadOS versions 18.7.5 and 26.3. The vulnerability was addressed by Apple through the removal of the vulnerable code, effectively closing the bypass vector. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.1, with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N, indicating that exploitation requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), user interaction (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and results in high confidentiality and integrity impacts (C:H/I:H) but no availability impact (A:N). There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. The vulnerability allows malicious or compromised applications to circumvent user-imposed privacy restrictions, potentially exposing sensitive user data or system functions that should be protected. This can lead to unauthorized data access or manipulation, undermining user trust and system security. The issue was publicly disclosed on February 11, 2026, with the vulnerability reserved since November 2025. Since the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, it is most relevant in scenarios where users might be tricked into running malicious apps or where attackers have some foothold on the device. The fix is available through OS updates, and users and organizations are advised to apply these patches promptly to mitigate risk.

The primary impact of CVE-2026-20606 is the unauthorized bypass of privacy preferences on Apple devices, which can lead to significant confidentiality and integrity breaches. Sensitive user data or system features protected by privacy settings may be exposed or manipulated by malicious applications. This undermines user trust and can facilitate further attacks such as data exfiltration, surveillance, or privilege escalation attempts. Since the vulnerability does not affect availability, system uptime is not directly impacted. However, the breach of privacy controls can have severe consequences for individuals and organizations relying on Apple devices for secure communications, data protection, and compliance with privacy regulations. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where users may install untrusted applications or where attackers have physical or local access. Organizations with large deployments of Apple devices, especially in privacy-sensitive sectors like healthcare, finance, government, and enterprise, face increased risk of data leakage and compliance violations if unpatched. The vulnerability's presence across multiple Apple OS versions increases the attack surface and complicates mitigation efforts without coordinated patch management.

To mitigate CVE-2026-20606, organizations and users should: 1) Immediately apply the security updates released by Apple for macOS Tahoe 26.3, Sonoma 14.8.4, Sequoia 15.7.4, iOS 18.7.5, iPadOS 18.7.5, iOS 26.3, and iPadOS 26.3 to remove the vulnerable code. 2) Enforce strict application installation policies to prevent untrusted or unsigned apps from running, reducing the risk of malicious apps exploiting the vulnerability. 3) Educate users about the risks of installing unknown applications and the importance of user interaction in exploitation, promoting cautious behavior. 4) Audit and monitor privacy preference settings and app permissions regularly to detect unusual changes or unauthorized access attempts. 5) Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of identifying suspicious local activity that might indicate attempts to bypass privacy controls. 6) In high-security environments, consider restricting local user privileges and implementing application whitelisting to limit the execution of unauthorized code. 7) Maintain an up-to-date inventory of Apple devices and their OS versions to ensure timely patch deployment and compliance tracking. These measures, combined with prompt patching, will significantly reduce the risk posed by this vulnerability.