Lock-screen keystroke capture via WindowServer state flaw
Published Jan 27, 2025 · Updated Jun 3, 2026
Information disclosure in affected Apple macOS releases allows local users to capture keyboard events from the lock screen through a malicious app. WindowServer performs inadequate state management and delivers keyboard events to an app while the lock screen is active. Exploitation requires local app execution and user interaction with the locked device, and the published impact is limited to confidentiality.
Summary
What happened
Information disclosure in affected Apple macOS releases allows local users to capture keyboard events from the lock screen through a malicious app. WindowServer performs inadequate state management and delivers keyboard events to an app while the lock screen is active. Exploitation requires local app execution and user interaction with the locked device, and the published impact is limited to confidentiality.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-54539
- Published
- Jan 27, 2025
- Updated
- Jun 3, 2026
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- macOS
- Classifications
- T1056.001
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 27, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jun 3, 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 <13.7.2
- Affected versionversion=0 <14.7.2
- Affected versionversion=0 <15.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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