CVE-2026-112446 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
This issue was addressed with additional entitlement checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a failure in the operating system's entitlement verification mechanisms within Apple’s ecosystem, specifically affecting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS versions prior to those listed as fixed. This flaw represents a classic authorization bypass where an application is granted access to sensitive user data without possessing the necessary permissions or privileges required by security policy. In modern mobile and desktop operating systems like Apple’s, applications operate within strict sandbox environments that rely on entitlements to define what resources each app can access. When these checks are insufficient or improperly implemented during runtime, it creates a gap in the defense-in-depth strategy, allowing malicious or compromised apps to escalate their privileges beyond what was originally declared by the developer and approved by the user at installation time.
From a technical perspective, this issue likely stems from an incomplete validation of access control lists or entitlement scopes when an application attempts to read specific data stores such as contacts, photos, location history, or health records. The absence of rigorous checks means that once an app gains initial entry into the system, it can traverse further than intended, potentially accessing files and databases reserved for other applications or core system services. This type of flaw is frequently categorized under CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management or CWE-862 Missing Authorization in the Common Weakness Enumeration database. It reflects a fundamental breakdown in ensuring that every access request to protected resources is explicitly authorized based on current user context and application identity, rather than relying on implicit trust assumptions within the codebase.
The operational impact of this vulnerability can be severe for end-users whose privacy expectations are violated through unauthorized data exfiltration. An attacker who exploits this flaw could harvest personally identifiable information, financial details, or private communications without triggering standard security alerts that would normally accompany permission requests. This undermines user trust in the platform and exposes individuals to risks such as identity theft, targeted phishing campaigns, and surveillance. For enterprise environments relying on Mobile Device Management solutions, this vulnerability complicates compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR or HIPAA because sensitive corporate information stored on devices could be accessed by unvetted third-party applications running on those same devices.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve the immediate application of vendor-provided patches to update the operating system components responsible for entitlement validation. Users and administrators should ensure that all connected Apple devices are updated to iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27 or later versions including Sequoia 15.8 and Tahoe 26.7, as well as the corresponding updates for tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. Beyond patching, developers must adhere to strict security coding practices that validate every access request against current entitlements rather than assuming prior approval is sufficient. Security analysts should monitor application behavior using endpoint detection tools configured to flag unusual data access patterns consistent with privilege escalation attacks mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework technique T1078 Valid Accounts or T1530 Data from Cloud Storage, depending on where the sensitive information resides. Regular audits of app permissions and minimizing the number of installed applications can further reduce the attack surface available for exploitation of this class of vulnerabilities.