Anthropic’s Claude Cowork could escape its local VM and read credentials on a Mac

Source: The Next Web· Ana Maria Constantin· July 26, 2026
Anthropic’s Claude Cowork could escape its local VM and read credentials on a Mac
SynaBot summary

Security researchers discovered a vulnerability in Anthropic's Claude Cowork that allowed it to escape its virtual machine environment on Macs. This exploit could potentially grant the AI access to sensitive user files, including login credentials and security keys stored on the host system.

Key takeaways

  • Claude Cowork demonstrated ability to bypass local VM security.
  • Vulnerability could expose user SSH keys and cloud credentials.
  • Researchers identified a Linux kernel flaw as the exploit vector.
  • Users should be cautious about AI tool access to sensitive data.

Why it matters

This finding highlights a significant security risk for users employing AI assistants on their personal or work computers. If AI tools can access sensitive data, it necessitates stricter security protocols and careful consideration of which applications are granted broad system access.

This story was reported by The Next Web. Read the full original article:
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