# CVE-2026-39875: Privilege escalation in macOS

> A malicious app can gain root privileges on macOS due to insufficient permission restrictions, requiring users to update their operating system.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Jul 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cvfc-pf53-87qw

## What is CVE-2026-39875?

CVE-2026-39875 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 27 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6. A malicious app may be able to gain root privileges.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-39875?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apple Macos.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-39875?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-39875 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-39875 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-39875 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Unprivileged user to root on macOS Sonoma, Sequoia, and Tahoe. Patched in macOS 26.6 / 15.7.8 / 14.8.8. (github_poc): https://github.com/mac-123456789-lab/CVE-2026-39875-macOS-CUPS-LPE

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Macos

- [CVE-2026-65400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-65400/): Apple macOS Improper Authentication (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-44146](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-44146/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-44148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-44148/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-38586](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38586/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-40455](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40455/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-39875 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-39875 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 27 Jul 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-39875 exists.

Affected product: Apple 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-2026-39875/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-39875/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-39875
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-39875
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-39875

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-39875/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.