Native Access: Untrusted Search Path
CVE-2026-24070 is a high-severity untrusted search path vulnerability in Native Access from Native Instruments, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version 3.24 as the first without the flaw, so updating Native Access to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.22% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Native Access to 3.24 or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Instruments | Native Access | before 3.24 | 3.24 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
During the installation of the Native Access application, a privileged helper `com.native-instruments.NativeAccess.Helper2`, which is used by Native Access to trigger functions via XPC communication like copy-file, remove or set-permissions, is deployed as well. The communication with the XPC service of the privileged helper is only allowed if the client process is signed with the corresponding certificate and fulfills the following code signing requirement: "anchor trusted and certificate leaf[subject.CN] = \"Developer ID Application: Native Instruments GmbH (83K5EG6Z9V)\"" The Native Access application was found to be signed with the `com.apple.security.cs.allow-dyld-environment-variables` and `com.apple.security.cs.disable-library-validation` entitlements leading to DYLIB injection and therefore command execution in the context of this application. A low privileged user can exploit the DYLIB injection to trigger functions of the privileged helper XPC service resulting in privilege escalation by first deleting the /etc/sudoers file and then copying a malicious version of that file to /etc/sudoers.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Untrusted Search Path
The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
- When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
- Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
- sec-consult.com/vulnerability-lab/advisory/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-native-instruments-native-access-macos/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Native Access
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Untrusted Search Path vulnerabilities
- 7.0 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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