Privacy preference bypass via incorrect WindowServer state management
Published Oct 28, 2024 · Updated Apr 2, 2026
Privacy-control bypass in WindowServer in Apple macOS before 15 allows local users to bypass certain Privacy preferences. WindowServer performs incorrect state management for privacy controls, but Apple has not disclosed the affected state transition or request. Exploitation requires an app to execute on the Mac; Apple has not identified which Privacy preferences can be bypassed or the resulting data or device access.
Summary
What happened
Privacy-control bypass in WindowServer in Apple macOS before 15 allows local users to bypass certain Privacy preferences. WindowServer performs incorrect state management for privacy controls, but Apple has not disclosed the affected state transition or request. Exploitation requires an app to execute on the Mac; Apple has not identified which Privacy preferences can be bypassed or the resulting data or device access.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-44208
- Published
- Oct 28, 2024
- Updated
- Apr 2, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- CWE-862, T1548.006
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
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 <15
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.
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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