CVE-2026-43755: Apple macOS race condition privilege escalation

Executive brief

A security vulnerability in macOS could allow a malicious application to gain full administrative (root) control over a computer. This issue stems from a timing error in how the system manages its internal state. If exploited, an attacker could bypass security protections, access sensitive user data, or modify system files.

Technical details

A race condition vulnerability exists in macOS Sonoma and macOS Tahoe due to improper state management. A local malicious application can exploit this timing window to bypass privilege boundaries and escalate to root permissions. The vulnerability was mitigated by Apple through improved state management logic. The fix is available in macOS Sonoma 14.8.8 and macOS Tahoe 26.6. Exploitation requires the attacker to have the ability to execute code on the target system, typically via a malicious app.

Affected products

• Apple macOS Sonoma Before 14.8.8
• Apple macOS Tahoe Before 26.6

Timeline

• 2026-07-27: advisory
• 2026-07-27: patched

References

• https://support.apple.com/en-us/128067
• https://support.apple.com/en-us/128072