CVE-2026-112524 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a critical use-after-free condition within the operating system's core components, specifically addressed through enhanced memory management protocols in recent updates for macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. A use-after-free error occurs when software continues to utilize a pointer after the memory it references has been deallocated or freed by the system. In this context, an application can trigger a scenario where kernel-level resources are released while still being referenced by active processes or internal system structures. This discrepancy arises from improper handling of dynamic memory allocation and lifecycle management within the operating system's kernel space, allowing for a state where invalid memory addresses are accessed as if they were valid.
From a technical perspective, this flaw represents a significant breach in memory safety principles, aligning closely with CWE-416, which defines use-after-free vulnerabilities. The operational impact of such an issue is severe because it occurs within the kernel, the most privileged layer of the operating system architecture. When an app exploits this condition, it can cause unexpected system termination, effectively leading to a denial-of-service state where the machine becomes unresponsive or requires a hard reboot. More critically, if the freed memory has been reallocated for different purposes, writing to or reading from that address can corrupt kernel memory structures. This corruption can lead to arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges, allowing an attacker to bypass security controls such as System Integrity Protection and gain full control over the affected device.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically involves crafting a malicious application that carefully times its operations to free specific kernel objects while maintaining references to them. By manipulating these references, the attacker can influence how the system interprets subsequent data in memory. This capability enables the modification of critical security flags or the execution of arbitrary shellcode within the context of the kernel process. Such an attack vector is consistent with techniques observed in advanced persistent threats and zero-day exploits that target macOS systems to establish persistence or escalate privileges from a standard user account to root access.
Mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate application of the provided software updates, which include improved memory management logic designed to validate pointers before dereferencing them and ensure proper lifecycle tracking of kernel objects. Administrators should enforce strict patching policies across all macOS endpoints to ensure that Golden Gate 27.2, Sequoia 15.8.2, or Tahoe 26.7.2 are installed without delay. Additionally, organizations should implement application whitelisting and restrict the execution of unsigned code where possible to reduce the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Monitoring for unusual kernel-level activity or unexpected system terminations can also serve as an indicator of compromise in environments where patching might be delayed. This issue underscores the importance of rigorous memory safety practices in operating system development, particularly within privileged subsystems that handle sensitive data and control hardware resources.