Pearcleaner’s unauthenticated access to privileged XPC helper allows root command execution

CVE Details

Basic Information

Title Pearcleaner’s unauthenticated access to privileged XPC helper allows root command execution
Type cve
Published 2025-08-01T18:06:23.948Z
Modified 2025-08-01T18:21:50.407Z

Product Information

Vendor alienator88
Product Pearcleaner
Version >= 4.4.0, < 4.5.2

CVSS Information

Base Score 7.3 (HIGH)
Attack Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Products

  • alienator88 Pearcleaner >= 4.4.0, < 4.5.2

Additional Information

CWE List CWE-78, CWE-269
Source GitHub_M

Description

Pearcleaner is a free, source-available and fair-code licensed mac app cleaner. The PearcleanerHelper is a privileged helper tool bundled with the Pearcleaner application. It is registered and activated only after the user approves a system prompt to allow privileged operations. Upon approval, the helper is configured as a LaunchDaemon and runs with root privileges. In versions 4.4.0 through 4.5.1, the helper registers an XPC service (com.alienator88.Pearcleaner.PearcleanerHelper) and accepts unauthenticated connections from any local process. It exposes a method that executes arbitrary shell commands. This allows any local unprivileged user to escalate privileges to root once the helper is approved and active. This issue is fixed in version 4.5.2.

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