CVE-2026-112678 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. 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, watchOS 27.2. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described involves a permissions issue within Apple's operating systems that allows applications to access sensitive user data beyond their intended scope. This flaw represents a failure in the enforcement of application sandboxing and permission boundaries, which are critical security mechanisms designed to isolate apps from each other and restrict their access to system resources and private user information. By addressing this with additional restrictions, Apple has reinforced the principle of least privilege, ensuring that applications can only interact with data for which they have explicitly been granted consent by the user or through legitimate system APIs. The issue is resolved 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, visionOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2.
From a technical perspective, this type of vulnerability typically stems from improper checks on the permissions requested or granted to an application during runtime. In many cases, developers may request broad permissions without fully understanding the implications, or there may be bugs in the operating system's permission manager that fail to correctly validate whether an app has the necessary authorization before allowing access to specific data stores such as contacts, photos, location history, or health data. When these checks are bypassed or incorrectly implemented, malicious actors can exploit this misconfiguration to exfiltrate sensitive information without triggering standard security alerts. This aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-269, which covers Improper Privilege Management, and specifically relates to situations where an actor is able to escalate privileges or access resources they should not be permitted to touch due to flawed authorization logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability can be severe for end-users whose privacy expectations are violated through unauthorized data collection. If a malicious app gains access to sensitive user data, it could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, blackmail, or targeted phishing campaigns based on the harvested information. For enterprise environments, such vulnerabilities pose significant risks related to compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, as they may result in the accidental disclosure of protected health information or personally identifiable information. The ability for an app to access sensitive data without proper consent undermines user trust and compromises the integrity of the device's security posture, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistence or move laterally within a network if connected devices are involved.
To mitigate these risks, users should ensure that their devices are updated to the latest available versions listed above, as these releases contain the necessary patches to enforce stricter permission controls. Additionally, it is advisable for users and administrators to regularly review app permissions through the device settings interface, revoking access for applications that do not require specific data types to function. Developers must also adhere to best practices by requesting only the minimum amount of data needed for their application's functionality and implementing robust runtime checks to verify authorization before accessing sensitive resources. This approach aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Collection via Screen Capture or Data from Local System, where adversaries seek to gather information directly from compromised endpoints. By maintaining up-to-date software and practicing diligent permission management, the attack surface for such exploitation is significantly reduced.