Apple tightens macOS privacy rules after AI agents expose message data loopholes

Apple announced Friday it will restrict how third-party apps use full-disk access (FDA) on macOS, a system-level permission that currently grants read access to nearly all files on a user's computer. The move follows backlash over Meta's Muse AI agent accessing private Apple Messages without users realizing the scope of what they were granting. Tech columnist Jason Aten reported that Muse sent him a notification referencing a confidential work conversation he had never authorized the app to read. Meta's CTO David Singleton claimed the Messages feature required explicit user opt-in and a separate connector toggle, but security researcher Patrick Wardle explained that full-disk access inherently allows apps to read all non-root files, including messages and browsing history. Apple's statement makes clear the permission model itself is the problem, not individual app settings.