CVE-2026-26225: Intego Personal Backup Task File Privilege Escalation
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.
Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A local Mac user could abuse Intego Personal Backup task handling to gain root-level control. The issue matters most on shared or managed Macs where non-admin users have accounts. The public bundle does not prove active exploitation or identify a confirmed fixed version.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for managed Mac fleets using Intego Personal Backup. The vulnerability is local, but successful exploitation could give root control and undermine endpoint integrity. Prioritize asset discovery, vendor guidance review, and containment on shared-user systems.
Technical view
Intego Personal Backup stores serialized backup task definitions where non-privileged users can write them, then processes those tasks with elevated privileges. The reported impact is arbitrary file writes to sensitive system locations and privilege escalation to root. The CVSS 4.0 score is 8.5, with local access and low privileges required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to macOS systems running Intego Personal Backup, especially endpoints where low-privileged users can log in. Exact affected versions are unclear in the source bundle; the affected version field is not sufficient for reliable scoping.
Exploitation context
The bundle includes a technical write-up tagged as exploit-related, but KEV is false and no provided source states active exploitation. This is not a remote vulnerability; an attacker needs local low-privileged access before abusing the task-file trust boundary.
Researcher notes
Key evidence is the described writable task definition location being consumed by elevated backup logic, mapped to CWE-59. Version and remediation evidence are incomplete in the bundle, so avoid broad affected-version claims until Intego or CVE data provides clearer product build information.
Mitigation direction
Inventory Macs for Intego Personal Backup installations.
Check Intego release notes and advisories for a fixed version.
Update only to vendor-confirmed fixed builds when identified.
Restrict use on shared Macs until vendor guidance is confirmed.
Remove the software where business need is low.
Validation and detection
Confirm whether Intego Personal Backup is installed on managed Macs.
Compare installed versions against Intego release notes and CVE references.
Review who can create or modify backup task definitions.
Check endpoint telemetry for unexpected privileged file writes.
Verify any vendor-recommended update or workaround after deployment.
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Potential ATT&CK relevance
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
cwe · low confidence lookup
CWE-59: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
The CVE wording references privilege impact, so privilege escalation and authorization behavior review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
6Source links
SSVC decision data
CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: pocAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total
CVSS vector scores
1 official score
We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
CWE-59 · source CWE mapping
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.