# CVE-2026-43786: Privilege escalation in macOS

> An application can gain root privileges due to missing entitlement checks, requiring an OS update to mitigate.

- **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:** 14 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wq87-x384-6wm9

## What is CVE-2026-43786?

CVE-2026-43786 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 14 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7. An app may be able to gain root privileges.

Weakness: CWE-280 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-43786?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apple Macos.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-43786?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-43786 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-43786 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43786 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Proof of concept for CVE-2026-43786, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in macOS CoreServices that allows an application to gain root privileges. (github_poc): https://github.com/Malwation/CVE-2026-43786
- CVE-2026-43786 (github_poc): https://github.com/0xredash/CVE-2026-43786

## 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-2026-43786 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-43786 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 14 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-43786 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2026-43786/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43786/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-43786
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-43786
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-43786

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43786/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.