CVE-2026-20606
Published: 11 February 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-20606 is a high-severity Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CWE-200) vulnerability in Apple Macos. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique TCC Manipulation (T1548.006); ranked at the 3.3th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Likely Mitigating ControlsAI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Automated marking applies security attributes to system outputs, making it harder for attackers to exploit unmarked sensitive information leading to unauthorized exposure.
Proper attribute retention and permitted-value enforcement limits unauthorized actors from accessing sensitive information lacking correct labels.
Prevents unauthorized exposure of sensitive information by prohibiting untrusted external systems from processing or storing it.
By enforcing authorization matching prior to sharing, the control reduces the risk of exposing sensitive information to unauthorized actors.
Review and removal of nonpublic information from publicly accessible systems directly prevents exposure of sensitive data to unauthorized actors.
Data mining protection mechanisms detect and block unauthorized bulk extraction of sensitive data, directly mitigating exposure to unauthorized actors.
Literacy training teaches users to recognize and avoid actions that result in unauthorized exposure of sensitive information.
Retaining and monitoring training records confirms personnel have completed privacy and security awareness training on handling sensitive data, reducing the chance of unauthorized exposure due to lack of knowledge.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Directly enables TCC/privacy preference bypass on Apple platforms via malicious app, matching T1548.006.
NVD Description
This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.5 and iPadOS 18.7.5, iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, macOS Sequoia 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.8.4, macOS Tahoe 26.3. An app may be able to bypass…
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certain Privacy preferences.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-20606 is a vulnerability that allows an app to bypass certain Privacy preferences on Apple devices. It affects iOS and iPadOS versions prior to 18.7.5 and 26.3, respectively, as well as macOS Sequoia prior to 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma prior to 14.8.4, and macOS Tahoe prior to 26.3. The issue stems from exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor (CWE-200) and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.1 (High), with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N.
A local attacker with low-complexity access and no privileges can exploit this vulnerability by tricking a user into interacting with a malicious app, such as through installation or execution. Successful exploitation enables high-impact confidentiality and integrity violations, allowing the app to circumvent Privacy preferences and potentially access or manipulate sensitive user data without authorization, though availability remains unaffected.
Apple security advisories indicate that the vulnerability was addressed by removing the vulnerable code. The issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.5 and iPadOS 18.7.5, iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3, macOS Sequoia 15.7.4, macOS Sonoma 14.8.4, and macOS Tahoe 26.3. Practitioners should ensure devices are updated to these versions and advise users to avoid installing untrusted apps. Additional details are available in Apple support documents at https://support.apple.com/en-us/126346, https://support.apple.com/en-us/126347, https://support.apple.com/en-us/126348, https://support.apple.com/en-us/126349, and https://support.apple.com/en-us/126350.
Details
- CWE(s)