macOS Big Sur 11.4 Addresses Vulnerability That Could Let Attackers Take Secret Screenshots

macOS Big Sur 11.4, which was released this morning, addresses a zero-day vulnerability that could allow attackers to piggyback off of apps like Zoom, taking secret screenshots and surrepetiously recording the screen.

jamf malware secret screenshots
Jamf, a mobile device management company, today highlighted a security issue that allowed Privacy preferences to be bypassed, providing an attacker with Full Disk Access, Screen Recording, and other permissions without a user's consent.

The bypass was actively exploited in the wild, and was discovered by Jamf when analyzing XCSSET malware. The XCSSET malware has been out in the wild since 2020, but Jamf noticed an uptick in recent activity and discovered a new variant.

Once installed on a victim's system, the malware was used specifically for taking screenshots of the user's desktop with no additional permissions required. Jamf said that it could be used to bypass other permissions as well, as long as the donor application the malware piggybacked off of had that permission enabled.

Jamf has a full rundown on how the exploit worked, and the company says that Apple addressed the vulnerability in macOS Big Sur 11.4, Apple confirmed to TechCrunch that a fix has indeed been enabled in macOS 11.4, so Mac users should update their software as soon as possible.

Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
General Black Friday Deals 24 Green Tinsel

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Friday November 22, 2024 5:28 am PST by
We're officially just one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this week is the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
15 inch m3 macbook air

Amazon Takes Up to $300 Off M3 MacBook Air With New All-Time Low Prices

Wednesday November 20, 2024 7:05 am PST by
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...

Top Rated Comments

Kung gu Avatar
46 months ago
11.4 also fixes excessive ssd writes.

PSA: The SSD disk write issues have been fixed in 11.4 which came out today. The person who found the issue in first place says it was a result of a kernel bug and he also says 11.4 addresses the issue.
Update to 11.4 if your on M1 macs.
Users on this thread also report lower disk writes on 11.4.


[MEDIA=twitter]1396374313591140357[/MEDIA]
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
46 months ago

OK just read the report by JAMF. So it piggybacks on fake Xcode projects, then requires the user to grant access through the Terminal and also through System Preferences. I'm glad this was found and dealt with, but it seems like it's a pretty weak exploit since nearly all of these behaviors should alert a user with more than 2 brain cells to stop the process
Unfortunately, a lot of people click accept without really thinking about what they are giving system access to and for what reason.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deevey Avatar
46 months ago

Unfortunately, a lot of people click accept without really thinking about what they are giving system access to and for what reason.
And that folks, is why iOS should remain locked down tight :)
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rigby Avatar
46 months ago

I assume this will be backported?
According to the post by JAMF it only affects MacOS 11. The security updates for Mojave ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212531') and Catalina ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212530') that also came out today do not list it.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Guyferd Avatar
46 months ago

So how was it installed? The usual pirated software? Tricking users into downloading it as a fake utility or game?
OK just read the report by JAMF. So it piggybacks on fake Xcode projects, then requires the user to grant access through the Terminal and also through System Preferences. I'm glad this was found and dealt with, but it seems like it's a pretty weak exploit since nearly all of these behaviors should alert a user with more than 2 brain cells to stop the process
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
46 months ago
Thank you for the heads up. Hide your identity and yourself people!!!



Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)