ClearanceKit: opfilter policy bypass via non-open file operations
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
ClearanceKit intercepts file-system access events on macOS and enforces per-process access policies. In versions on the 4.1 branch and earlier, the opfilter Endpoint Security system extension enforced file access policy exclusively by intercepting ES_EVENT_TYPE_AUTH_OPEN events. Seven additional file operation event types were not intercepted, allowing any locally running process to bypass the configured FAA policy without triggering a denial. Commit a3d1733 adds subscriptions for all seven event types and routes them through the existing FAA policy evaluator. AUTH_RENAME and AUTH_UNLINK additionally preserve XProtect change detection: events on the XProtect path are allowed and trigger the existing onXProtectChanged callback rather than being evaluated against user policy. All versions on the 4.2 branch contain the fix. No known workarounds are available.
Why it matters now
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| craigjbass | clearancekit | before 4.2 | 4.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- clearancekit Vendorcraigjbass Affected before 4.2 Fixed in 4.2 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:craigjbass:clearancekit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 4.2 | Vulnerable | craigjbass |
- cpe:2.3:a:craigjbass:clearancekit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 4.2 Vulnerable ·craigjbass
Remediation
- Fix · CNA clearancekit (craigjbass) Fixed in 4.2
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-33631
References
More craigjbass Clearancekit vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-29335 ClearanceKit: Ad-hoc signed binaries can spoof Apple process identities in the global allowlist CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.4
- TI-2026-26013 ClearanceKit: opfilter policy bypass via exchangedata and clone operations CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.4
- TI-2026-29340 Protection mechanism failure in craigjbass clearancekit CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.2
- TI-2026-26513 ClearanceKit: Managed and user-defined policy rules not enforced between opfilter start and first policy modification CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.3
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences