CVE-2024-44174
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15. An attacker may be able to view restricted content from the lock screen.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA lock screen bypass vulnerability in macOS allows an attacker to view restricted content from the lock screen. The issue was addressed with improved checks in macOS Sequoia 15, likely strengthening access control validation when the screen is locked.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 15.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check installed macOS versionRun 'sw_vers -productVersion' in Terminal or open System Settings > General > About to view the macOS version numberAffected if The version displayed is less than 15.0 (for example, 14.x, 13.x, etc.)
-
Confirm screen lock configurationGo to System Settings > Lock Screen and verify if a screen lock timeout is set (such as 'Require password after screen saver begins' or 'Require password after display turns off')Affected if Screen lock is enabled and the system is running macOS version < 15.0 - the bypass vulnerability applies regardless of lock settings since it exploits the lock screen itself
-
Identify lock screen content exposureWith the screen locked, attempt to access any widgets, notifications, or content that may be configured to show on the lock screen via System Settings > Lock Screen > Display recent items or widgetsAffected if Restricted content (such as hidden notifications, sensitive widgets, or preview content) is visible or accessible without authenticating when the screen is locked and the macOS version is below 15.0
The system is affected if it runs any version of macOS prior to 15.0, as the lock screen bypass allows viewing restricted content without authentication.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped15.0
Update affected Mac systems to macOS Sequoia 15 or later. Ensure automatic screen lock is enabled with a strong password as an additional control.
macOS Sequoia 15.0
- Verify current macOS version by clicking the Apple menu and selecting About This Mac
- Upgrade to macOS Sequoia 15.0 or later by navigating to System Settings > General > Software Update
- Ensure the update completes successfully before using the device
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-44174 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-44174 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data