Improper XPC caller certificate validation and TOCTOU race condition in macOS PrivilegedHelperTool
Priority LOW 29CWE-295Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- Spoofing
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-295.
Summary
Improper certificate validation and a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition in the PrivilegedHelperTool XPC service in Cato Client before v.5.13.1 on macOS allows a local authenticated attacker to escalate privileges to root via a self-signed certificate that bypasses the XPC caller verification and a symlink swap during package installation.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00073 0th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed SDP Client (Cato Networks): 5.13.1
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cato Networks | SDP Client | 5.12.0 to before 5.13.1 | 5.13.1 | Patch available | CNA |
- SDP Client VendorCato Networks Affected 5.12.0 to before 5.13.1 Fixed in 5.13.1 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:catonetworks:cato_client:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | Cato Networks |
- cpe:2.3:a:catonetworks:cato_client:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·Cato Networks
Remediation
- Fix · CNA SDP Client (Cato Networks) Fixed in 5.13.1
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-12374
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-fmmf-42mh-hr4x
More Cato Networks vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-23578 An issue in CatoNetworks CatoClient before v.5.4.0 allows attackers to escalate… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2024-06472 Improper input validation in Cato Networks SDP Client CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2025-12991 Cato's Socket WebUI is vulnerable to OS Command Injection CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
- TI-2024-06474 Untrusted search path in Cato Networks SDP Client CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-06473 Incorrect default permissions in Cato Networks SDP Client CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-09234 Cato Networks SDP Client for Windows is vulnerable to Local Privilege Escalation CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-12374 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-12374 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-fmmf-42mh-hr4x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences