Mullvad VPN is a VPN client app for desktop and mobile
The Mullvad VPN installer for macOS versions 2026.1 and below is vulnerable to local privilege escalation during installation or upgrade. The installer executes binaries from the `/Applications/Mullvad VPN.app` path without verifying the bundle's legitimacy, allowing a local admin user to pre-place a malicious application bundle and achieve root code execution.
Mullvad VPN is a VPN client app for desktop and mobile. When using macOS with versions 2026.1 and below, Mullvad VPN may allow local privilege escalation during installation or upgrade. The installer package executes binaries from /Applications/Mullvad VPN.app without verifying if the bundle is attacker-controlled or that the path is the legitimate Mullvad application. A user in the admin group can pre-place a crafted application bundle at that location and may be able to achieve code execution as root. Since the issue only affected the installer, there is no immediate need for users to update if they are already running an older version. This issue has been fixed in version 2026.2-beta1.
macOS users installing or upgrading Mullvad VPN versions 2026.1 and below are at high risk of local privilege escalation if an attacker can tamper with the application bundle.
Remediation Recommended
This vulnerability carries significant risk. Schedule patching in your next cycle.
What should I do?
Published
CVE disclosed publicly
Last Modified
Most recent update
Indexed to CVEInsight
Added to this platform
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
0
Affected Products
2
References
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploitability
Impact