Apple tightens macOS Full Disk Access controls as AI agents proliferate

AI agents on the Mac also typically ask for this permission, and it allows them to access information that you may not iwant them to have. If you know where the data is stored, you can access full messages, contacts, photos, emails, browsing history, and much more with just this one setting.

In a note on its Developer Site, Apple says it’s about to crack down on this Full Disk Access abuse by introducing additional controls:

We give developers powerful APIs to build incredible capabilities into their apps for Apple products, backed by a set of controls designed to protect users’ private data. Full Disk Access largely sidesteps these controls in order to allow backup apps to function properly on the Mac. Some developers are using Full Disk Access in ways that could put users at risk, exposing everything on their systems—including files, mail, messages, and even browsing history—without users’ full knowledge and understanding. For communication apps, this can also compromise the privacy of the people users are communicating with.

Going forward, we will introduce additional controls to ensure that users who genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access can only do so with very explicit user action. Addressing this is critical. As AI agents become increasingly capable and autonomous, the risks associated with this level of access will grow substantially. We are committed to ensuring users clearly understand these risks before granting such access, so they can make informed decisions about their own data and privacy.