Apple to tighten macOS 'Full Disk Access' controls amid AI agent security risks

Apple has announced plans to implement stricter controls for the 'Full Disk Access' permission within macOS. The company cited the rapid evolution of autonomous AI agents as a primary driver for this decision. As these agents become more capable, they often require broad access to sensitive user data, including personal messages, emails, browsing history, and local files. Apple warns that this level of access introduces significant security vulnerabilities, as malicious actors could potentially exploit these permissions to exfiltrate private information. By tightening these controls, Apple aims to provide users with more granular oversight over which applications can interact with their data. This move reflects a broader industry trend of re-evaluating permission models in the age of generative AI, where software autonomy poses new challenges to traditional operating system security architectures and user privacy protections.