VulnerabilityPublished 25 Mar 2026Updated 21 Aug 2026

CVE-2026-20622: Apple macOS · Improper Access Control

Affects Apple macOSSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High · fixed in 26.3 : patch Apple macOS soon.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.5High

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

EPSS: 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 26% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch: Available – fixed in 26.3, 15.7.4, 14.8.4

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

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

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

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
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: None: There is no loss of integrity within 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 25 Mar 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: 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 30 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.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), 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.

ghsa-9rf7-4jc7-gf8q

What to do

Upgrade Apple macOS to 26.3, 15.7.4 or 14.8.4.

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
ApplemacOS	Affected <26.3	Fixed in 26.3
ApplemacOS	Affected <15.7.4	Fixed in 15.7.4
ApplemacOS	Affected <14.8.4	Fixed in 14.8.4

AI-suggested

To mitigate CVE-2026-20622, organizations and users should immediately update affected macOS systems to Sequoia 15.7.4 or Tahoe 26.3 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Beyond patching, implement strict application control policies to limit the installation of untrusted or unsigned applications that could exploit this flaw. Use macOS privacy settings to restrict screen recording permissions only to trusted applications and regularly audit these permissions. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring unusual screen capture activities or unauthorized access to temporary files. Educate users about the risks of installing unknown software and encourage the use of Apple’s notarization and app store mechanisms to reduce exposure. For highly sensitive environments, consider additional monitoring of file system access patterns related to temporary files and screen capture APIs. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly address any potential data exposure incidents.

Description

A privacy issue was addressed with improved handling of temporary files. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.8.4, macOS Tahoe 26.3. An app may be able to capture a user's screen.

Impact

The primary impact of CVE-2026-20622 is a severe breach of user privacy and confidentiality. Unauthorized screen capture can expose sensitive information such as passwords, personal data, financial information, or confidential business documents. For organizations, this could lead to data leaks, intellectual property theft, and regulatory compliance violations, especially in sectors handling sensitive or classified information. Since the vulnerability requires no privileges or user interaction, attackers could exploit it remotely if they manage to get a malicious app installed or leverage other attack vectors to execute code. This broadens the attack surface and increases risk. Although integrity and availability are not compromised, the confidentiality breach alone can cause significant reputational damage and financial loss. Enterprises relying heavily on macOS devices for critical operations are particularly vulnerable, as well as individuals in high-risk roles such as journalists, activists, or government employees.

CWE-284Improper Access Control (opens in a new tab)
Pillar weaknessCWE Top 25 (2025): #19OWASP Top 10 A01:2025: Broken Access Control (opens in a new tab)
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.
MITRE discourages mapping vulnerabilities to this broad entry; the root cause is usually a more specific weakness.
Architecture and Design · Operation
Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
Architecture and Design · Separation of Privilege
Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Docker Security (opens in a new tab)
Third Party Javascript Management (opens in a new tab)
Virtual Patching (opens in a new tab)
Authorization (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V1.4.4 (opens in a new tab)
V1.4.5 (opens in a new tab)
V1.10.1 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Embedding Scripts within Scripts (opens in a new tab)
Modification of Windows Service Configuration (opens in a new tab)
Malicious Root Certificate (opens in a new tab)
Intent Spoof (opens in a new tab)
WebView Exposure (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 3 Apr 2026, 02:49 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-284

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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