CVE-2026-43698

Root privilege escalation via CUPS argument injection

Published Jul 27, 2026 · Updated Jul 27, 2026

Argument injection in CUPS in Apple macOS Sonoma before 14.8.8 and macOS Sequoia before 15.7.8 allows local users to gain root privileges. CUPS fails to neutralize argument delimiters in application-controlled input; Apple has not disclosed the vulnerable function or command. Exploitation requires a local user to run or introduce a malicious app; remote-only exposure is not reported.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Argument injection in CUPS in Apple macOS Sonoma before 14.8.8 and macOS Sequoia before 15.7.8 allows local users to gain root privileges. CUPS fails to neutralize argument delimiters in application-controlled input; Apple has not disclosed the vulnerable function or command. Exploitation requires a local user to run or introduce a malicious app; remote-only exposure is not reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43698
Published
Jul 27, 2026
Updated
Jul 27, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
macOS
Classifications
CWE-88, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 27, 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 <14.8.8
  2. Affected versionversion=0 <15.7.8
  3. Affected versionversion=0 <26.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · macOSversion=0 <14.8.8; version=0 <15.7.8; version=0 <26.6

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/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-88Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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