CVE-2026-112669 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A race condition was addressed with improved state handling. 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 Safari crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a race condition within the rendering and state management logic of Apple's WebKit engine, which powers Safari across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS platforms. A race condition occurs when two or more threads access shared data concurrently, and at least one thread modifies it without proper synchronization mechanisms in place. In this specific instance, the flaw lies in how the browser handles state transitions during the processing of web content. When a maliciously crafted webpage triggers rapid or concurrent DOM manipulations, style recalculations, or script executions, the internal state machine may enter an inconsistent condition. This inconsistency arises because the application fails to properly serialize access to critical resources or verify that expected preconditions are met before proceeding with subsequent operations. The issue is characterized by CWE-362, which defines race conditions as situations where software behavior depends on the relative timing of events, leading to unpredictable outcomes such as crashes, data corruption, or privilege escalation if exploited further in conjunction with other flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability primarily manifests as a denial-of-service scenario through application instability. When an attacker hosts maliciously crafted web content designed to exploit these race conditions, they can force the Safari browser process into an unrecoverable error state. This results in an unexpected crash of the browsing session, disrupting user productivity and potentially causing data loss if unsaved work is present. While the primary reported impact is a crash, race conditions in complex engines like WebKit often serve as precursors to more severe security issues. In some contexts, improper state handling can lead to use-after-free vulnerabilities or heap corruption, which could theoretically allow for arbitrary code execution if an attacker can precisely control memory layout and timing. However, based on the current disclosure, the immediate consequence is limited to service disruption via crash rather than direct remote code execution.
Apple has addressed this vulnerability by improving state handling within the WebKit engine in version 27.2 across all supported operating systems including Safari, iOS, iPadOS, macOS Golden Gate, tvOS, and watchOS. The fix likely involves implementing stricter synchronization primitives such as mutexes or atomic operations to ensure that state changes are processed sequentially and safely. Additionally, enhanced validation checks may have been added to verify the integrity of internal states before allowing certain high-risk operations to proceed. This remediation aligns with industry best practices for mitigating concurrency bugs by ensuring thread safety and preventing access to resources in an invalid or inconsistent state.
To mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, users must ensure that their devices are updated to the latest software versions provided by Apple. Since the flaw resides within the core browser engine distributed as part of the operating system, individual application updates are insufficient; a full OS patch is required. Administrators managing enterprise environments should prioritize deploying these patches to endpoints running Safari or WebKit-based applications. Furthermore, users can reduce their exposure risk by employing content blockers that restrict access to untrusted websites and disabling JavaScript on sites where it is not strictly necessary. While technical mitigations like sandboxing help contain the impact of a successful exploit, keeping software up-to-date remains the most effective defense against known race conditions in browser engines. Security teams should monitor for any subsequent advisories related to WebKit state management as attackers often refine exploits based on newly patched behaviors.