CVE-2026-112621 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in Safari 27.2, iOS 26.7.2 and iPadOS 26.7.2, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, visionOS 27.2. Processing a maliciously crafted image may result in memory corruption.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves an out-of-bounds write condition within the web rendering engine of Safari and related Apple operating systems. This type of flaw typically arises when software processes input data, such as images or other media files, without adequately verifying that the indices used to access memory buffers remain within their allocated boundaries. In this specific instance, the processing logic failed to enforce strict bounds checking on array accesses during image parsing operations. When a maliciously crafted image file is processed by the browser engine, it can trigger an execution path where data is written to a memory location outside the intended buffer limits. This behavior constitutes a classic heap or stack overflow scenario depending on the specific allocation context within the rendering pipeline.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, which describes writing data beyond the end of a buffer. The root cause lies in insufficient validation of input dimensions and internal state variables before performing memory write operations. Attackers can exploit this by constructing image files that contain malformed headers or pixel data structures designed to manipulate pointer arithmetic within the browser's memory management subsystem. By carefully crafting these inputs, an attacker can force the application to overwrite adjacent memory regions with controlled values. This capability allows for arbitrary code execution if the overwritten memory contains function pointers, return addresses, or other critical control flow metadata that the processor subsequently executes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote exploitation via web content. Since Safari and WebKit are widely used across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS platforms, users browsing compromised websites or viewing maliciously hosted images could inadvertently trigger the exploit without any additional interaction beyond loading the page. Successful exploitation leads to memory corruption, which can be leveraged to achieve arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected application. In mobile environments like iOS and iPadOS, this may allow an attacker to bypass sandbox restrictions if combined with other vulnerabilities or through privilege escalation techniques that target kernel components via user-space exploits.
Industry frameworks categorize such exploitation patterns under ATT&CK technique T1203: Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers use client-side software flaws to execute malicious code on the victim's device. The attack vector is primarily network-based (ATT&CK T1190), as it relies on tricking a user into visiting a specific URL or loading an image from a remote server. Mitigation strategies focus heavily on patch management, ensuring that all devices are updated to versions 27.2 for Safari and macOS Golden Gate, iOS/iPadOS 26.7.2 and 27.2, and visionOS 27.2 as specified in the vendor advisory. Beyond software updates, defense-in-depth measures such as enabling Web Content Sandbox protections, utilizing browser security headers like Content Security Policy to restrict inline script execution, and deploying endpoint detection systems that monitor for anomalous memory access patterns can reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. Regular auditing of third-party plugins and extensions is also recommended to minimize the attack surface associated with web rendering engines.