Technical impact
Apple macOS implements secure prompts for sensitive operations, but a flaw in its state‑management component lets a malicious application bypass clickjacking protections. When a user interacts with a protected dialog, the compromised state logic fails to enforce overlay rules, enabling the attacker to trick the user into executing unintended actions. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the UI security controls guarding confidential data, though it does not provide direct remote code execution or privilege escalation; it aligns with CWE‑1021, describing misuse of UI elements and incorrect state isolation; the CVSS score of 5.5 indicates moderate impact.
Affected Systems
Any macOS release prior to the Golden Gate 27 update is vulnerable because the issue was addressed in macOS Golden Gate 27 by improving state management. Installations of earlier macOS releases are at risk until the user applies the latest patch or upgrades to Golden Gate 27 or later, affecting all Apple macOS devices that rely on the system’s secure prompt mechanism.
Risk and Exploitability
The CVSS score of 5.5 suggests moderate severity, while the EPSS score of <1% indicates a very low likelihood of exploitation in the wild. The flaw is a local privilege attack that requires a malicious app running with user interaction; it is inferred that attackers would launch the flaw from a local malicious application that manipulates UI state, as no network component is mentioned, and successful exploitation allows an attacker to subvert clickjacking defenses, leading a user to unknowingly confirm or execute a protected action.
