CVE-2026-112532 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. 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.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical flaw in the operating system's memory management subsystem, specifically related to how certain applications interact with kernel-level resources. This type of issue typically stems from improper validation of user-supplied data before it is processed by privileged code paths within the kernel. When an application triggers this condition, it can lead to out-of-bounds writes or use-after-free scenarios that compromise the integrity of the system's memory space. The root cause lies in insufficient checks during the allocation and deallocation phases of dynamic memory handling, allowing maliciously crafted inputs to overwrite adjacent memory structures or execute arbitrary code within the kernel context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for privilege escalation and system instability. An attacker who can exploit this flaw may achieve unexpected system termination, resulting in a denial-of-service condition that disrupts critical services and user workflows. More critically, the ability to corrupt kernel memory opens the door to arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges. This effectively grants full control over the operating system, allowing an adversary to bypass security controls such as System Integrity Protection (SIP), install persistent backdoors, or exfiltrate sensitive data stored in protected areas of the file system and memory. The risk is particularly acute for applications that require elevated permissions or interact deeply with hardware drivers and core OS components.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-120 Buffer Overflow without null termination check and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write in the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. These categories highlight the fundamental failure to properly validate memory boundaries during write operations. In terms of adversary behavior, exploitation techniques associated with this flaw map to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1055 Process Injection and potentially T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation. Attackers would likely leverage local execution capabilities within a sandboxed or privileged application context to trigger the memory corruption, aiming to escape confinement and gain administrative access.
Mitigation strategies primarily rely on timely patching of the affected operating system versions. Apple has addressed this issue in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2 by implementing stricter memory handling protocols and enhanced bounds checking within the kernel's resource management routines. Organizations should prioritize applying these updates across all endpoints to close the attack surface. Additionally, enforcing strict application sandboxing policies can limit the impact of any successful exploitation attempt by restricting an app’s ability to interact with sensitive kernel APIs. Regular security audits and monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns using endpoint detection and response tools further enhance resilience against such low-level exploits.