CVE-2026-112596 in iPadOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
An integer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. Processing a maliciously crafted video file may lead to unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves an integer overflow condition within the multimedia processing subsystem of Apple operating systems, specifically affecting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS versions prior to 27.2. Integer overflows occur when a calculation results in a numeric value that exceeds the maximum capacity of the assigned data type, causing it to wrap around to a negative or unexpectedly small positive number. In this context, the flaw likely resides in how memory allocation sizes are calculated based on metadata extracted from video files. When an attacker crafts a malicious video file with specific header values designed to trigger this arithmetic error, the system may allocate significantly less memory than required for processing the media stream. This discrepancy between expected and actual buffer size creates a classic heap or stack overflow scenario, where subsequent write operations exceed the bounds of the allocated memory region.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, primarily manifesting as unexpected system termination or application crashes. When the malformed video file is processed by the operating system's media framework, the incorrect memory access leads to data corruption within critical process structures. This instability forces the affected service or the entire device to terminate abruptly to prevent further damage or security compromise. While immediate exploitation for arbitrary code execution may require additional conditions such as specific heap layout configurations, the guaranteed denial of service poses a significant risk to system availability and user experience. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-190, which covers integer overflow or wraparound, highlighting the fundamental flaw in input validation and arithmetic safety checks within the software logic.
From an offensive security perspective, this type of memory corruption issue aligns with techniques found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework related to exploitation for defense evasion or initial access if combined with other vulnerabilities. Attackers could potentially use crafted media files as a vector for delivering payloads that exploit adjacent memory regions, although the primary reported impact is system termination. The lack of robust bounds checking allows malicious actors to manipulate internal state variables, which can be leveraged in sophisticated attack chains targeting mobile and desktop environments alike.
Apple has addressed this issue by implementing improved bounds checking mechanisms within the media processing libraries. These enhancements ensure that all arithmetic operations related to buffer sizing are validated against maximum allowable limits before memory is allocated or accessed. This fix prevents the integer overflow from occurring, thereby maintaining data integrity and preventing unauthorized memory writes. Users should update their devices to iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, or watchOS 27.2 immediately to mitigate this risk. Until patches are applied, organizations and individuals should exercise caution when opening video files from untrusted sources, as processing such content remains a high-risk activity that could lead to service disruption on vulnerable systems.