Overview
- Apple announced on October 2 that macOS will add controls so granting Full Disk Access needs a very explicit user action but the company did not publish technical details, a rollout date, or how existing apps will be handled.
- Full Disk Access lets apps bypass normal macOS protections so backup and disk tools can work, and Apple warned the permission can expose files, email, Messages and browsing history and even affect the privacy of people a user communicates with.
- The decision was driven by reports showing agent and app flaws that can reach sensitive data, including a public dispute over Meta’s Muse reading Messages (which Meta denies without both system and in‑app permissions) and reporting of a ChatGPT Mac app flaw that could expose stored data.
- Developers and security experts are preparing narrower, purpose‑limited permission models, clearer user-facing explanations and activity logging, and defenses against prompt injection and data leakage to align with the forthcoming platform changes.
- The announcement creates short‑term uncertainty for Mac developers and power users about which apps will be affected, how backup tools and Apple’s own AI features will be treated, and how regulators and markets that require explicit consent will respond.