CVE-2026-112501 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A race condition was addressed with improved state handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.7.2 and iPadOS 26.7.2, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a race condition within the operating system's state management mechanisms, specifically affecting Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. A race condition occurs when two or more processes access shared data concurrently without proper synchronization, leading to unpredictable outcomes based on the timing of execution. In this context, the flaw lies in how system states are handled during transitions or updates, where insufficient locking or validation allows an application to exploit a window of inconsistency between state checks and actual modifications. This technical deficiency enables malicious or poorly coded applications to manipulate internal system variables in ways that were not intended by the developers, potentially causing critical subsystems to enter invalid configurations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for system stability and availability. As noted in the advisory, an app may be able to cause unexpected system termination. This indicates a denial-of-service scenario where local code execution can crash core operating system services or kernel components. Such instability disrupts normal device operation, leading to data loss if unsaved work is present, and degrades user trust in platform reliability. While the primary impact appears to be availability rather than confidentiality or integrity at this stage, race conditions often serve as precursors to more severe exploits, such as privilege escalation, by allowing attackers to manipulate memory states before they are properly validated or sanitized.
From a classification perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-362, which defines concurrent execution using shared resources with bad synchronization leading to race conditions. The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to have the ability to execute code on the device, typically through a malicious application installed by the user or via another compromise chain. In terms of MITRE ATT&CK framework mapping, this behavior corresponds to techniques involving resource manipulation and potentially denial-of-service actions within the endpoint environment. The lack of proper state handling suggests weaknesses in input validation and concurrency control mechanisms inherent to the affected software versions prior to patching.
Mitigation for this vulnerability is primarily addressed through vendor-provided updates. Users must ensure their devices are running iOS 26.7.2, iPadOS 26.7.2, iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, or watchOS 27.2. These updates contain the necessary code changes to improve state handling and enforce stricter synchronization protocols during critical system operations. For enterprise environments, it is crucial to implement automated patch management systems to ensure rapid deployment of these security fixes across all managed devices. Additionally, organizations should employ application whitelisting or strict app store policies to prevent unauthorized applications from executing on corporate networks, thereby reducing the attack surface available for exploiting such race conditions until patches are fully deployed.