Apple has released macOS Tahoe 26.6.1, a security-focused update that patches a vulnerability allowing an attacker to access Screen Sharing on a Mac without valid credentials.
The flaw, which Apple addressed through improved state management, could have let an unauthorized party authenticate to a remote session under certain conditions.
The update arrived just over a week after Apple shipped macOS Tahoe 26.6 on July 27. Mac users running Tahoe can grab 26.6.1 by opening System Settings and navigating to Software Update.
Older macOS versions also patched
Apple simultaneously released macOS Sonoma 14.8.9 and macOS Sequoia 15.7.9 with the same fix, meaning Mac owners who haven’t upgraded to Tahoe still received a patch for the Screen Sharing vulnerability. That covers a wide range of Macs still running older supported operating systems.
Screen Sharing is a built-in macOS feature that lets someone view and control a Mac remotely, often used for remote work, IT support, or accessing a home machine while traveling.
A flaw that bypasses authentication entirely represents a meaningful exposure, particularly for anyone who has Screen Sharing enabled and whose Mac is reachable over a network.
Who should update
Users with Screen Sharing turned on have the strongest reason to apply the update promptly.
The feature is off by default on most Macs, but IT environments, shared households, and remote access setups commonly enable it. Anyone unsure of their current settings can check under System Settings, then General, then Sharing.
Apple’s security documentation does not indicate whether this vulnerability was actively exploited before the patch was issued, which is consistent with the company’s typical disclosure practice of withholding that detail until enough users have updated.
The company also did not attribute discovery of the flaw to any external researcher in its published notes.
For most Mac users, the update process takes only a few minutes and requires a restart. Macs set to automatic updates should receive the patch without manual intervention.
