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Apple Plans Tighter macOS Full Disk Access Controls Over AI Agent Data Access

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Apple Plans Tighter macOS Full Disk Access Controls Over AI Agent Data Access

Apple has announced that it's taking steps to tighten controls around a macOS setting called Full Disk Access (FDA) due to security risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) agents.

"Some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems—including files, mail, messages, and even browsing history – without users' full knowledge and understanding," Apple said in a post. "For communication apps, this can also compromise the privacy of the people users are communicating with."

Full Disk Access, accessed via Privacy & Security in the Settings app, was introduced by Apple in macOS Mojave (version 10.14), offers users greater control over which applications can access their entire system and data from apps like Mail, Messages, Safari, and Time Machine backups.

Once the setting is enabled for an application, it allows that program to bypass certain security restrictions and read and write to system files that apps are typically restricted from accessing or modifying. This option is essential for apps, such as security tools and backup software, that require deep system access to function properly.

Stating that Full Disk Access largely bypasses controls designed to safeguard users' private data, Apple said it plans to introduce updates to the setting to ensure that this sort of access is granted only with an explicit user action. It's currently not known when the new controls will be rolled out.

"As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially," Apple added.


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