If you needed a good reason to update to macOS 12.1 or Big Sur 11.6.2 right now.
Apple encourages users to install OS updates as soon as possible because they fix bugs and more importantly, patch security holes. Microsoft just outlined one of the bugs fixed in Monterey 12.1, and it’s a doozy.
The vulnerability dubbed “powerdir” could let someone bypass macOS’s Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) security framework and hijack access to a user’s protected data. TCC is a part of macOS that allows users to configure the Mac’s privacy settings, and Microsoft discovered a way to “programmatically change a target user’s home directory and plant a fake TCC database, which stores the consent history of app requests.” This would allow an attacker to install a malicious app or take over an installed app, and then be able to take screenshots or record audio from a microphone while the computer is in use.
It’s typical for a third-party company or developer to release the details of a bug or security hole they discovered after Apple has provided a fix. Microsoft provides more details on how the powerdir hole works.
Read more at MacWorld.com