CVE-2026-112638 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A heap buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking. 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, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. An attacker in radio range may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a heap buffer overflow within the Apple operating systems ecosystem, specifically affecting components related to wireless communication protocols such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. A heap buffer overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the allocated boundaries of a memory block on the heap, which is dynamically managed during runtime execution. This type of flaw typically arises from insufficient validation of input lengths or improper handling of network packets received via radio interfaces. In this specific instance, the root cause was addressed through improved bounds checking mechanisms within the affected system libraries. These enhancements ensure that data processed by the wireless stack does not exceed its designated memory limits, thereby preventing unauthorized writes to adjacent memory regions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant due to the proximity requirement for exploitation. An attacker positioned within radio range can craft maliciously formatted packets designed to trigger the overflow condition upon reception and processing by the device's network interface controller or associated software stack. While some heap overflows may lead to arbitrary code execution, in this context, the primary consequence identified is system instability leading to unexpected termination. This manifests as a denial of service scenario where the affected iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, or watchOS device crashes or reboots unexpectedly. Such behavior disrupts availability and can be leveraged by an adversary to degrade service reliability for targeted users without requiring authentication or prior access privileges beyond physical proximity.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-120, which denotes Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input, specifically in the context of heap-based operations. The exploitation vector is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1498, Network Denial of Service, as it involves disrupting service availability through resource exhaustion or system crash induced by malformed input. Furthermore, because the attack surface includes wireless interfaces accessible to nearby devices, it also relates to physical proximity attacks often associated with side-channel or local network exploitation strategies. The ability to cause a remote denial of service via radio waves highlights the critical importance of robust memory safety practices in networking stacks that handle untrusted external inputs.
Mitigation for this vulnerability is primarily achieved through software updates provided by Apple. Devices running 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, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2 have incorporated the necessary fixes to prevent these out-of-bounds writes. Administrators and users should ensure that all devices within their environment are updated to one of these patched versions to eliminate the risk of exploitation. In addition to patching, defensive measures such as disabling unnecessary wireless services when not in use can reduce the attack surface. Network monitoring solutions may also be configured to detect anomalous traffic patterns indicative of buffer overflow attempts on local networks, although effective detection at this layer remains challenging due to the encrypted and fragmented nature of modern wireless protocols.