CVE-2026-28978

Local sandbox escape via Installer permissions

Published May 11, 2026 · Updated May 11, 2026

Improper access control in Apple macOS Installer allows local users to escape a malicious app from its sandbox on supported releases. Apple has not disclosed the affected Installer permission check or the exact operation that accepts insufficiently restricted access. Exploitation requires a local malicious app running with low privileges and permits access beyond its sandbox on Sonoma before 14.8.7, Sequoia before 15.7.7, and Tahoe before 26.5.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Apple macOS Installer allows local users to escape a malicious app from its sandbox on supported releases. Apple has not disclosed the affected Installer permission check or the exact operation that accepts insufficiently restricted access. Exploitation requires a local malicious app running with low privileges and permits access beyond its sandbox on Sonoma before 14.8.7, Sequoia before 15.7.7, and Tahoe before 26.5.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-28978
Published
May 11, 2026
Updated
May 11, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-284
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 11, 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 <14.8.7
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <15.7.7
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <26.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=0 <14.8.7; version=0 <15.7.7; version=0 <26.5

Published CVSS scores

8.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control

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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