# CVE-2026-12556: HP Easy Start for macOS - Security Update

> Attackers can escalate privileges on macOS systems using vulnerable HP Easy Start versions, requiring an upgrade to the latest release.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 3 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vw7c-29jj-vh2h

## What is CVE-2026-12556?

CVE-2026-12556 is a high-severity vulnerability in HP Easy Start for macOS, published on 24 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Potential security vulnerabilities have been identified in HP Easy Start for macOS, versions prior to 2.16.7.260722. These potential vulnerabilities may lead to escalation of privilege. HP is releasing updates to mitigate these potential vulnerabilities.

Weakness: CWE-319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-12556?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-12556?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-12556 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-12556 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-12556 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-12556 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-12556 is a high-severity vulnerability in HP Easy Start for macOS, published on 24 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-12556 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: HP Easy Start for macOS. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12556/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12556/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-12556
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-12556
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-12556

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12556/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.