Apple to tighten macOS Full Disk Access controls citing risks from AI agents

Apple said it will introduce additional controls around macOS’s Full Disk Access permission system, citing new risks from increasingly capable AI agents. The feature, originally designed to support backups, now poses heightened privacy and security concerns as AI agents access files, messages, mail, and browsing history.

The company stated that some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could expose users’ entire systems without their full knowledge or understanding. Apple emphasized that as AI agents become more capable and autonomous, the risks associated with broad system access will grow substantially.

Going forward, users who wish to grant an app this level of access will need to take very explicit action, according to Apple’s developer-facing blog post. The company did not provide specific technical details about the new controls in its announcement.

The move follows recent reports raising questions about the security of desktop-based AI applications. A journalist claimed Meta’s Muse app on Mac accessed private messages without clear user permission, a claim Meta disputed. Separately, a Wired report described a flaw in ChatGPT’s Mac app that could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data.