ClearanceKit monitors file‑system activity on macOS and applies per‑process access rules. Before version 4.2.14, a startup condition allowed only a default rule to be active; policy rules delivered by mobile‑device management or set by a user were not enforced until a user interacted with the software through its GUI. During this window, applications could read or modify files that should have been blocked, giving an attacker local authority to bypass intended controls. This flaw represents a failure of access‑control enforcement.

The problem affects macOS installations that run ClearanceKit by craigjbass prior to version 4.2.14. Any system that uses managed or user‑defined file‑access policies is vulnerable during startup or until a policy change is triggered.

The vulnerability carries a base score of 6.3, indicating moderate severity. An attacker with local access can exploit the gap by running or launching processes before the policy engine fully initializes. The issue is not currently listed in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerability catalog. A patch that activates rules immediately on startup has been released in version 4.2.14, removing the window of exposed access.