CVE-2026-112624 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
This issue was addressed with improved checks. 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, visionOS 27.2. An app may be able to bypass Privacy preferences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a logic flaw within the privacy permission management subsystem of Apple's operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS. This issue allows applications to circumvent user-configured privacy restrictions, effectively granting them access to sensitive data or hardware resources without explicit consent. The root cause lies in insufficient validation checks during the authorization process, where the system fails to properly verify whether a requested permission aligns with the current policy settings enforced by the device owner. In typical operation, when an application requests access to protected resources such as location services, camera, microphone, or contacts, the operating system presents a prompt for user approval and records this decision in a secure preference store. However, due to the identified flaw, certain applications can exploit race conditions or improper state handling to bypass these checks, thereby obtaining elevated privileges that were explicitly denied by the user.
From a technical perspective, this represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability where the enforcement mechanism does not consistently align with the policy definition. The application likely exploits an inconsistency in how permission states are cached versus how they are queried at runtime. For instance, if the system checks for permissions before applying recent updates to privacy preferences, or if it fails to re-evaluate constraints during specific API calls, the app can proceed with operations that should have been blocked. This type of flaw is particularly dangerous because it undermines the fundamental trust model between the user and the operating system. Users rely on these controls to maintain their digital sovereignty and protect personal information from unauthorized surveillance or data exfiltration. When this mechanism fails, the integrity of the entire privacy framework is compromised, allowing malicious actors to harvest sensitive data even when users have taken steps to restrict access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for both individual users and enterprise environments. For consumers, it means that apps can potentially track location history, record audio or video without notification, or read personal contacts despite explicit denials in settings. This leads to privacy violations, potential identity theft, and unauthorized profiling based on sensitive behavioral data. In corporate contexts, where mobile device management policies often enforce strict privacy controls to protect intellectual property and employee data, this flaw could allow rogue applications to exfiltrate confidential information from company devices. The ability of an app to bypass these preferences effectively nullifies the security posture established by administrators, creating a backdoor for data leakage that is difficult to detect through standard monitoring tools since the actions appear legitimate within the application's context.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Improper Access Control and CWE-755: Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions if the bypass relies on error handling flaws, or more broadly with CWE-693: Protection Mechanism Failure where the security mechanism does not prevent unauthorized access. In terms of offensive tactics, this behavior corresponds to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1087 Account Discovery and potentially T1530 Data from Local System if used for exfiltration, as it allows an adversary to gather information about user accounts and local data without proper authorization. The exploitation typically occurs during the initial launch or when specific features are invoked, making it a persistent threat until patched.
Apple has addressed this issue by implementing improved checks within the privacy preference subsystem. These enhancements likely involve stricter validation of permission states before granting access, ensuring that cached permissions do not override current user policies, and adding additional verification steps to prevent race conditions during authorization requests. The fix is available in 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, and visionOS 27.2. To mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability, users must update their devices to one of these patched versions immediately. For administrators managing fleets of Apple devices, it is critical to enforce automatic updates or deploy configuration profiles that mandate installation of these security patches. Additionally, organizations should review app permissions regularly and consider using mobile device management solutions that monitor for anomalous permission requests, although the primary defense remains keeping the operating system up to date with vendor-provided fixes.