LibreOffice
LibreOffice is an office suite for writing documents, making spreadsheets and creating presentations. It’s made by The Document Foundation, based in Germany.
Criminals have used its name in fake downloads or scams, so get it only from libreoffice.org.
What it is
LibreOffice includes Writer for documents, Calc for spreadsheets and Impress for presentations. It works with Microsoft Office file formats and can export PDFs.
It reads and changes the documents you open and save. macOS may ask for access to folders containing those files. Update checks can send the app version, operating system and basic hardware details if that option is enabled.
LibreOffice is developed by a worldwide open source community. The website download is free; the official Mac App Store version has a charge. Use the foundation's download links and keep it updated, as specially made documents have exposed security flaws.
Who makes it
The Document Foundation is a charitable foundation in Berlin that supports the LibreOffice community. Its website is documentfoundation.org.
Is it the real one?
Every Mac app carries a signature from the developer who made it. Apple checks who the developer is before handing out the certificate, and macOS refuses to open an app whose signature has been tampered with.
HARD hasn’t yet recorded the signature on a real copy of LibreOffice. Its Mac app shows who signed the copy you have.
Its bundle ID, the name macOS knows it by, is org.libreoffice.script. Download it only from libreoffice.org or the Mac App Store, not from an ad or a link someone sends you.
Fakes. In February 2026, Bitdefender reported fake LibreOffice download ads targeting Mac users. The ads led to Evernote pages that instructed people to run Terminal commands installing information-stealing malware.
What it connects to
In normal use, LibreOffice talks to these places on the internet. A firewall that asks before apps connect, like the one in HARD’s Mac app, will show them.
| Address | Why |
|---|---|
update.libreoffice.org | Checks for available updates. |
download.documentfoundation.org | Provides downloads and download mirrors. |
help.libreoffice.org | Opens online help when requested. |
hub.libreoffice.org | Opens documentation, extension and release-note links. |
What it can see
macOS asks you before an app can use these. You can change them any time in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
| Permission | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Files and Folders | To open and save documents in protected folders such as Documents and Downloads. |
Security record
Problems with LibreOffice or The Document Foundation in the last three years, newest first. Keeping the app up to date covers the ones that were fixed.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Specially made Calc documents could run remote Java code, write files or expose local data; these flaws were fixed in 26.2.5 and 26.8.0. | ↗ | |
| Several PDF, font and image import flaws could access memory incorrectly; fixes were released in 26.2.5. | ↗ | |
| Presentation, spreadsheet and graphics import flaws could corrupt memory; fixes were released across 26.2.3, 25.8.7 and 26.2.4. | ↗ | |
| A specially made encrypted Office document could corrupt memory through CVE-2026-4430; it was fixed in 26.2.3 and 25.8.7. | ↗ | |
| On macOS, attackers could run scripts with permissions granted to LibreOffice through its bundled Python launcher; CVE-2025-14714 was fixed in 25.2.4. | ↗ |
References
- LibreOffice build configuration — default macOS bundle identifier raw.githubusercontent.com
- The Document Foundation overview documentfoundation.org
- LibreOffice imprint libreoffice.org
- LibreOffice on the Mac App Store apps.apple.com
- LibreOffice frequently asked questions libreoffice.org
- LibreOffice download libreoffice.org
- Alternative installation methods libreoffice.org
- LibreOffice Help — Online Update help.libreoffice.org
- Apple — Keep your Mac up to date support.apple.com
- LibreOffice release notes libreoffice.org
- LibreOffice installer configuration — update service raw.githubusercontent.com
- LibreOffice online help source raw.githubusercontent.com
- LibreOffice configuration — documentation and extension links raw.githubusercontent.com
- LibreOffice bug 152567 — macOS folder access prompts mail-archive.com
- Bitdefender — Hijacked Google Ads push fake software downloads to Mac users bitdefender.com
- LibreOffice security advisories libreoffice.org