CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-26225NVD status: Deferred

Personal Backup: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-26225 is a high-severity improper link resolution before file access vulnerability in Personal Backup from Intego, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.5 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. Affected Personal Backup versions: 10.9.0 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.2% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Personal Backup you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
IntegoPersonal Backup10.9.0 and earlierNot stated

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.
Attack requirements
NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
Integrity (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
Availability (vulnerable system)
HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
Confidentiality (other systems)
NoneNo loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Integrity (other systems)
NoneNo loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Availability (other systems)
NoneNo loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.

Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).

Official description

Intego Personal Backup, a macOS backup utility that allows users to create scheduled backups and bootable system clones, contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability. Backup task definitions are stored in a location writable by non-privileged users while being processed with elevated privileges. By crafting a malicious serialized task file, a local attacker can trigger arbitrary file writes to sensitive system locations, leading to privilege escalation to root.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access

The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system. Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.

More Improper Link Resolution Before File Access vulnerabilities (CWE-59)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Improper Link Resolution Before File Access vulnerabilities

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