Apple says it’s tightening macOS ‘Full Disk Access’ controls due to new risks from AI agents

Apple has announced that it is tightening controls over macOS's "Full Disk Access" feature due to new risks posed by AI agents. The feature, originally designed to facilitate backups, has become a point of concern as AI agents can potentially exploit this level of access to gain control over a user's system and access sensitive information.

This issue was highlighted after a journalist claimed that Meta's Muse app on Mac read private messages, a claim Meta disputed. Another report by Inc. columnist Jason Aten raised further questions about the security and trust users can have in desktop-based AI, given its ability to control systems and access files and messages. Apple's decision to limit the Mac feature comes in the wake of a Wired report about a potential flaw in ChatGPT's Mac app that could have allowed hackers to access sensitive data.

The new controls aim to ensure that users who wish to grant an app Full Disk Access can do so only with "very explicit user action." Apple emphasizes the growing risks associated with AI agents as they become more capable and autonomous, and stresses the importance of users understanding these risks before granting such access.