CVE-2022-26693

User-data access via inherited application permissions

Published May 26, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Permissions bypass in Preview in Apple macOS before 12.4 allows plug-ins to inherit application permissions and access user data. Apple has not disclosed which Preview plug-in validation check was insufficient or how the improved checks changed permission inheritance. Exploitation requires a plug-in to run within Preview; exposed data is limited to resources that Preview can access under the current user's permissions.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.90%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Permissions bypass in Preview in Apple macOS before 12.4 allows plug-ins to inherit application permissions and access user data. Apple has not disclosed which Preview plug-in validation check was insufficient or how the improved checks changed permission inheritance. Exploitation requires a plug-in to run within Preview; exposed data is limited to resources that Preview can access under the current user's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-26693
Published
May 26, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 26, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <12.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=unspecified <12.4

Published CVSS scores

6.4NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
9.1NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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