--- title: New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users description: New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users --- [Securafy Knowledge Hub](https://blog.securafy.com) - [Topics](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-cover) - [Tools](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-tools) - [Books & Guides](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-books) [Talk to Securafy](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) [Topics](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-cover) [Tools](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-tools) [Books & Guides](https://blog.securafy.com/#sf-books) [Talk to Securafy](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) [Knowledge Hub](https://blog.securafy.com) / IT Operations IT Operations # New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users ![Randy Hall](https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/Randy%20Hall%202.png) By Randy Hall Updated Jul 2024 2 min read Share [**](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users) [**](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users&text=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3ENew+Security+Vulnerability+Affects+Current+Mac+OS+Users%3C%2Fspan%3E) [**](mailto:?subject=%3Cspan+id%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper_name%22+class%3D%22hs_cos_wrapper+hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field+hs_cos_wrapper_type_text%22+style%3D%22%22+data-hs-cos-general-type%3D%22meta_field%22+data-hs-cos-type%3D%22text%22+%3ENew+Security+Vulnerability+Affects+Current+Mac+OS+Users%3C%2Fspan%3E&body=https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users) ![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)Not long ago, a critical flaw in Linux SUDO was discovered and is being tracked as CVE-2021-3156. Given the nickname "Baron Samedit," it's a flaw in a Unix program that allows system admins to provide root level privileges to any users listed in the "sudoers" file. More disturbing, however, is the fact that just over a week from the time this piece was written, researchers stumbled across the fact that the Sudo privilege escalation also impacts the latest version of macOS, Big Sur 11.2. Linux developers have already moved to patch the issue in various Linux distros, including Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu, which are three of the most popular. However, there is currently no fix yet for macOS, and no ETA for when one will be released. Apple has proven to be quite responsive in the face of issues like these, however, so the smart money says it won't be long. Security researcher Matthew Hickey put together a simple proof of concept that shows how the exploit works which is standard practice in situations like these, but it does mean that the clock is ticking. Even if the exploit wasn't being actively used by hackers before, with a step-by-step blueprint in hand, you can bet that it's just a matter of time. Matthew Hickey points out that it's not possible for Mac users to take matters into their own hands and attempt to upgrade SUDO manually because Apple's System Integrity Protection system prevents this. IBM notes that there is not yet a patch for the AIX Unix distribution at this time, which is one of the few builds, other than macOS that are not yet protected against this flaw. So if you use either of those, be aware that you are facing a period of vulnerability and watch for the fix, which should be released soon. Tagged Under IT Operations[Cybersecurity](https://blog.securafy.com/tag/cybersecurity)Business Continuity In This Article Need Help With Your Current Setup? Talk through your current systems, risks, and support gaps with Securafy. [Book a Strategy Call](https://meetings.hubspot.com/securafy/strategy-call) ## Join The Conversation Have a question or perspective on this topic? Add it below. ![Randy Hall](https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/Randy%20Hall%202.png) About The Author Randy Hall · CEO & Founder Randy Hall is the CEO and Founder of Securafy, with decades of experience helping organizations make smarter, safer decisions about technology. A frequent speaker and instructor at national IT events, Randy has advised thousands of organizations, from startups and SMBs to large enterprises and U.S. government entities, on secure, practical technology adoption. He writes about the decisions business leaders are often expected to make without enough context, including cybersecurity, compliance, AI, cyber insurance, IT strategy, and business resilience. Outside the office, you’ll often find Randy on Lake Erie enjoying time on his 38-foot Chris-Craft. **Writes about:** Cybersecurity strategy, compliance, AI security, business resilience, cyber insurance, SMB risk, IT leadership [More From This Author →](https://blog.securafy.com/author/randyhall) Related Articles Business Continuity [Compliance Risk Assessment: How Downtime Impacts Your Bottom Line](https://blog.securafy.com/compliance-risk-assessment-how-downtime-impacts-your-bottom-line) When systems go down, compliance obligations don't pause—and the financial consequences ... Jul 28, 2026 Compliance [HIPAA Security Rule Changes Are Delayed To 2027: Why Healthcare Organizations Should Not Wait](https://blog.securafy.com/hipaa-security-rule-changes-are-delayed-to-2027-why-healthcare-organizations-should-not-wait) The updated HIPAA Security Rule won't take effect until 2027, but healthcare ... Jul 23, 2026 Compliance [Multi Factor Authentication Best Practices for CJIS Security Policy Compliance](https://blog.securafy.com/multi-factor-authentication-best-practices-for-cjis-security-policy-compliance) Law enforcement agencies and criminal justice organizations face mounting pressure to ... Jul 16, 2026 Compliance [CMMC Phase II Has Been Suspended: What Defense Contractors Still Need To Do](https://blog.securafy.com/cmmc-phase-ii-has-been-suspended-what-defense-contractors-still-need-to-do) The Department of Defense suspended CMMC Phase II enforcement, but that doesn't mean ... Jul 15, 2026 IT Operations [Cybersecurity For Veterinary Clinics: Protecting Client Data, Payment Systems, And Practice Operations](https://blog.securafy.com/cybersecurity-for-veterinary-clinics-protecting-client-data-payment-systems-and-practice-operations) Veterinary clinics handle sensitive client data, payment information, and critical ... Jul 9, 2026 IT Operations [AT&T Cybersecurity, AlienVault USM, And Managed Security: What SMBs Still Need To Own](https://blog.securafy.com/att-cybersecurity-alienvault-usm-and-managed-security-what-smbs-still-need-to-own) Managed security platforms like AT&T Cybersecurity and AlienVault USM provide ... Jul 8, 2026 Get Practical Cybersecurity Field Notes Monthly cybersecurity, compliance, and IT strategy updates from Securafy, written for business owners who need clear next steps. - Practical security tips from our Cyber Security Drip series - The Securafy Times, our monthly roundup on compliance and IT strategy - Occasional updates on new tools, guides, and research - No spam — unsubscribe anytime NIST CSF 2.0 Zero Trust Application Control CISA Aligned Enterprise Partner © 2026 Securafy — Columbus & Cleveland, Ohio [Main Site](https://www.securafy.com/) [Blog Home](https://blog.securafy.com/) [Contact](https://www.securafy.com/contact.html) [Privacy Policy](https://www.securafy.com/privacy-policy.html) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Randy Hall", "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/author/randyhall" }, "dateModified" : "2024-07-24T20:19:29.453Z", "datePublished" : "2021-02-18T16:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/hubfs/securafy-logo.png" }, "name" : "Securafy Inc." } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : [ { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Columbus", "addressRegion" : "OH", "postalCode" : "43219", "streetAddress" : "4449 Easton Way, Suite 200" }, { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Independence", "addressRegion" : "OH", "postalCode" : "44131", "streetAddress" : "6100 Oak Tree Blvd, Suite 200" } ], "areaServed" : [ "Columbus OH", "Cleveland OH", "Ohio" ], "name" : "Securafy Inc.", "url" : "https://securafy.com/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "inLanguage" : "en-US", "name" : "Securafy", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://securafy.com/" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/#blog", "@type" : "Blog", "name" : "Securafy Knowledge Hub", "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users#article", "@type" : "Article", "author" : { "@id" : "https://www.securafy.com/about-us/#randyhall", "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Randy Hall" }, "dateModified" : "2024-07-24T20:19:29+00:00", "datePublished" : "2021-02-18T16:00:00+00:00", "description" : "New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users", "headline" : "New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users", "image" : "https://www.securafy.com/hs-fs/hubfs/securafy-og-default.jpg", "inLanguage" : "en-US", "isPartOf" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/#blog" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://securafy.com/#organization" }, "url" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://blog.securafy.com", "name" : "Knowledge Hub", "position" : 1 }, { "@type" : "ListItem", "item" : "https://blog.securafy.com/2021/02/18/new-security-vulnerability-affects-current-mac-os-users", "name" : "New Security Vulnerability Affects Current Mac OS Users", "position" : 2 } ] } ```