Individual skill
performing-macos-privilege-escalation
Escalating from a low-privileged user (or unprivileged process) to root on macOS during authorized engagements by abusing the user-preserved sudo PATH, Dock/app masquerading, sudo-password phishing, AuthorizationExecuteWithPrivileges helpers, vulnerable privileged XPC/LaunchDaemon helpers, writable LaunchDaemon plists, PackageKit/zsh logic bombs, kernel credential races, and Time Machine snapshot mounts.
internal/tools/skills/data/macos-security/performing-macos-privilege-escalation/SKILL.md
Source commit d42f381ad34843e71a42658e5c57290c713e85af
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- Observed behavior
- Not checked yet
- Last checked
- Nov 7, 2026
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Repository context
- Repository stars (not skill ratings)
- 1,310
- Repository last updated
- Nov 7, 2026
- License
- Apache-2.0
Observed agent integration: No specific integration evidence. Standard SKILL.md installation does not imply verified compatibility.
- cybersecurity Repository topic
- security Repository topic
- bug-bounty Repository topic
- automation Repository topic
- autonomous-pentesting Repository topic
- ai-agent Repository topic
- ai-security Repository topic
- ethical-hacking Repository topic
- golang Repository topic
- penetration-testing Repository topic
- penetration-testing Declared skill tag
- macos Declared skill tag
- privilege-escalation Declared skill tag
- operations Derived category
- testing Derived category
Files and excerpt
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Read excerpt
# Performing macOS Privilege Escalation
## When to Use
- During authorized macOS assessments after gaining initial code execution as a standard user
- When a privileged helper, LaunchDaemon, or third-party updater is present and may expose a root-reachable interface
- When you can social-engineer a desktop user (Dock impersonation, fake password prompts) for a sudo-capable credential
- When evaluating SIP-bypass chains for persistence in protected system locations
- Note that most Linux/Unix privesc tricks (sudo misconfig, writable PATH binaries) also apply to macOS
## Critical: Techniques Most Often Missed
### 1. sudo keeps the user PATH (Homebrew binary hijack)
