Privacy preference bypass via privileged path deletion
Published Oct 28, 2024 · Updated Apr 2, 2026
Path deletion in Apple macOS PackageKit allows local users to bypass configured Privacy preferences through a malicious app. PackageKit runs vulnerable path-deletion code with elevated privileges, allowing an app-triggered deletion to evade configured privacy controls. Local low-privileged access and app execution are required; Apple has not disclosed the affected path or specific privacy resource exposed.
Summary
What happened
Path deletion in Apple macOS PackageKit allows local users to bypass configured Privacy preferences through a malicious app. PackageKit runs vulnerable path-deletion code with elevated privileges, allowing an app-triggered deletion to evade configured privacy controls. Local low-privileged access and app execution are required; Apple has not disclosed the affected path or specific privacy resource exposed.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-44159
- Published
- Oct 28, 2024
- Updated
- Apr 2, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- T1548.006
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Oct 28, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 2, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <13.7
- Affected versionversion=0 <13.7.1
- Affected versionversion=0 <14.7.1
- Affected versionversion=0 <15.1
- Affected versionversion=14.0 <14.7
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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