Apple Tightens Mac Disk Access Amid AI Agent Risks
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The tech giant is restricting 'full disk access' permissions to prevent autonomous AI tools from scraping sensitive user data.
Apple announced Friday that it is implementing new controls for "full disk access" on macOS to mitigate risks posed by increasingly autonomous AI agents. According to reporting from The Verge, the company stated that some developers have used this sweeping permission to expose user files, mail, messages, and browsing history without the user's full understanding.
Under the new rules, apps will require "very explicit user action" to obtain this level of access. Apple noted that full disk access is a system-level permission intended to allow backup apps to function, but it effectively sidesteps standard privacy controls. The company has not provided a specific rollout date for the update.
The move follows a public dispute involving Meta's Muse AI. As reported by Ars Technica, tech columnist Jason Aten claimed Muse accessed his messages without explicit permission. While Meta CTO David Singleton argued that such access requires both full disk access and a specific "Messages connector" to be enabled, macOS security expert Patrick Wardle told Ars Technica that any non-root file—including chats and browser cookies—is readable once full disk access is granted.
Further complicating the security landscape, security expert Patrick Wardle recently disclosed a Muse configuration that could allow attackers to take control of the AI assistant. Additionally, Amazon has blocked Muse from its platform, stating that such apps must respect service provider decisions.