Actual is an open-source personal finance application. In the macOS desktop application version 25.x (built on Electron 39.2.7), the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE fuse is not disabled, allowing an attacker who can place a file on disk or control command-line arguments to invoke the signed Actual.app binary with the ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE=1 environment variable set. This converts the application into a Node.js REPL capable of executing arbitrary code that inherits the application's entitlements and code signature, bypassing macOS Gatekeeper review. Version 26.5.0 patches the issue.
Fix
STIG rules that mitigate this class
With Gatekeeper enforced, an unsigned or unnotarised app does not run, which is the step most Gatekeeper bypasses need. Apple Platform Security, "Gatekeeper and runtime protection in macOS" (the owner's mapping, data/mitigations.yaml: gatekeeper)
- APPL-15-002064 CAT I The macOS system must enable gatekeeper. Apple macOS 15 (Sequoia)
- APPL-26-002064 CAT I The macOS system must enable gatekeeper. Apple macOS 26 (Tahoe)
Every line above is quoted from NVD, CISA, Microsoft, the vendor's own advisory or DISA; nothing is generated.
Change history 1
- First seenCVSS 4.8NVD modified 2026-10-26 11:10
Affected (CPE criteria) 0
NVD has not attached CPE configurations yet.