CVE-2026-112666 in Safari
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in Safari 27.2, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, tvOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described is a classic use-after-free error, which falls under the CWE-416 classification in the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. This type of memory management flaw occurs when software continues to use a pointer after it has been freed or deallocated from memory. In the context of web browsers like Safari and its underlying engine WebKit, this typically happens during the processing of complex HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or other media content embedded in maliciously crafted web pages. When an attacker constructs specific sequences of DOM manipulations or object lifecycles that trigger premature release of a memory block while references to it are still active within the browser's execution context, the application may attempt to access invalid memory addresses. This mismanagement leads to undefined behavior, which often manifests as unexpected process termination or crashes rather than immediate code execution, although the latter remains a significant risk if the vulnerability is exploited with precise control over heap layout and data placement.
From an operational perspective, this flaw primarily impacts system stability and availability. A successful exploitation attempt results in the abrupt termination of the browser process, causing denial of service for the user session. While modern operating systems employ various mitigations such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and Data Execution Prevention (DEP), these do not fully prevent use-after-free vulnerabilities from being leveraged for more severe outcomes. Attackers can potentially chain this initial crash with other techniques to achieve arbitrary code execution, thereby compromising the integrity of the user's device. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS, indicating that the root cause lies within shared core components like WebKit rather than platform-specific implementations. This broad impact underscores the critical nature of maintaining consistent security patches across all ecosystems managed by the vendor.
The remediation strategy involves updating to Safari 27.2 or later versions on iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, tvOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2. These updates include improved memory management logic within the browser engine that correctly tracks object lifetimes and prevents access to freed memory regions. For end-users, this necessitates ensuring automatic system updates are enabled or manually checking for software updates through device settings. Security administrators should prioritize patching devices running affected versions to mitigate the risk of remote code execution via malicious web content. Additionally, employing browser security features such as sandboxing further isolates potential exploits from critical system resources, reducing the blast radius even if a vulnerability is present in an older version before patches can be applied.
In terms of threat modeling and detection, this issue aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to initial access via malicious content and potentially privilege escalation depending on the browser's sandbox level. Security monitoring tools should look for anomalous spikes in process crashes or memory errors associated with web browsing activities as potential indicators of exploitation attempts. Continuous integration pipelines that include fuzzing tests targeting WebKit components can help identify similar flaws early in development cycles, preventing them from reaching production environments. Regular security audits and adherence to secure coding practices regarding dynamic memory allocation are essential for maintaining robust defenses against such low-level system vulnerabilities.