CVE-2026-20651

Local data disclosure via insecure temporary files

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Insecure temporary-file handling in Messages in Apple macOS before 14.8.4, 15.7.5, or 26.3 allows local users to read sensitive data. Messages manages temporary files without sufficient protection, exposing their contents to another local app; Apple has not disclosed the file operation or path involved. Exploitation requires an app to run locally in the user session, and the published impact is limited to reading sensitive user data.

CVSS severity6.2
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Insecure temporary-file handling in Messages in Apple macOS before 14.8.4, 15.7.5, or 26.3 allows local users to read sensitive data. Messages manages temporary files without sufficient protection, exposing their contents to another local app; Apple has not disclosed the file operation or path involved. Exploitation requires an app to run locally in the user session, and the published impact is limited to reading sensitive user data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-20651
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-377, T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 25, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <14.8.4
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <15.7.5
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <26.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=0 <14.8.4; version=0 <15.7.5; version=0 <26.3

Published CVSS scores

6.2CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-377Insecure Temporary File
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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