Apple is preparing Full Disk Access controls against misuse of message history access
Apple is preparing controls on Full Disk Access permission in macOS intended to prevent misuse of access to message history. Granting broad access is to require an explicit step by the user. No rollout date was given.
Apple has announced preparations for stricter controls on Full Disk Access permission in macOS. According to Apple, they are meant to prevent third-party app developers from misusing this permission to access message history. Granting access is to require an explicit step by the user; no rollout date was given.
The Full Disk Access permission allows an application to access files, mail, messages, and browsing history. According to Apple, it was created mainly to support backup applications and largely bypasses standard privacy controls. Apple claims that some developers use this access without sufficient understanding on the part of users, and that the growing autonomy of AI agents increases the related risks.
The context for the announcement is an experience described by journalist Jason Aten: according to his account, the Muse tool sent him an unsolicited notification referencing a conversation with a colleague in Apple Messages, even though he says he had not granted access to messages. Meta disputes this claim, stating that reading messages requires manually granting Full Disk Access as well as enabling the Messages connection in the Muse tool. The sources therefore do not confirm that the Muse tool bypassed the permission.
Why it matters
By granting Full Disk Access, users expose more than just the data needed for a single task. The controls being prepared are meant, according to Apple, to help users understand the scope of this decision. For companies, the risk of exposing work conversations and other data to applications with such broad permission is also significant.
What was added since the original report
Verified updates
-
The change is meant to prevent third-party applications from misusing the permission to read message history.; The announcement followed two weeks after Jason Aten's account of his experience with the Muse tool was published.; According to Aten, Muse sent an unsolicited notification referencing his work conversation in Apple Messages.; According to Meta, access to messages requires manually granting Full Disk Access.; According to Meta, the messages connector in the Muse tool must also be turned on.
- The change is meant to prevent third-party applications from misusing the permission to read message history.
- The announcement followed two weeks after Jason Aten's account of his experience with the Muse tool was published.
- According to Aten, Muse sent an unsolicited notification referencing his work conversation in Apple Messages.
- According to Meta, access to messages requires manually granting Full Disk Access.
- According to Meta, the messages connector in the Muse tool must also be turned on.
Two audiences, two different impacts
What this means
For individuals
When deciding on AI assistant access, you must take into account that Full Disk Access also covers messages, mail, and browsing history.
For a business
Using AI agents with Full Disk Access permission affects the protection of work conversations and files; the access assessment must cover the full scope of the permission.
Risks and complianceCheck the original
Event sources
confirmed by 3 independent sources · 3 publishers, 3 independent. We count feeds from the same owner only once.