CVE-2026-112688 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.7 and iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. Parsing a file may lead to an unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical memory corruption flaw within the Apple operating system ecosystem, specifically affecting iOS, iPadOS, and various iterations of macOS including Sequoia, Tahoe, and Golden Gate releases. This type of issue typically arises when an application fails to properly validate or manage data structures in RAM during file parsing operations. The root cause is often a failure in bounds checking or memory allocation logic, which allows malformed input files to overwrite adjacent memory regions. Such corruption can manifest as heap overflows, stack buffer overruns, or use-after-free conditions, depending on the specific implementation details of the affected component. By addressing improved memory handling mechanisms, Apple has patched the underlying code paths that were susceptible to these illegal memory accesses, thereby restoring integrity to the system's resource management layer.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-120 Buffer Overflow or potentially CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write, depending on whether the corruption involves writing beyond allocated boundaries or overwriting critical metadata structures. The operational impact is severe because parsing untrusted files is a common entry point for attackers. If an attacker can craft a malicious file that triggers this memory corruption during processing by a privileged system service or application, they may achieve arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected process. This could lead to full device compromise, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data, installation of persistent malware, or use of the compromised device as part of a botnet. Additionally, even if remote code execution is not achieved, the instability caused by memory corruption can result in denial-of-service conditions through unexpected application termination or system crashes, disrupting user productivity and service availability.
The mitigation strategy implemented involves rigorous validation of input data lengths and types before they are processed into internal buffers. Developers likely introduced stricter boundary checks, utilized safer string handling functions that prevent overflow, and enhanced sandboxing policies to limit the blast radius in case a vulnerability is exploited. For end-users, it is imperative to update all affected devices immediately to iOS 26.7 or later, iPadOS 26.7 or later, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2 or later, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2 or later, and macOS Golden Gate 27.2 or later. These updates contain the necessary patches that close the memory handling gaps identified in previous versions. Security administrators should also enforce policies that restrict users from opening files of unknown origin and ensure that automatic security update mechanisms are enabled to maintain protection against future exploits targeting similar classes of vulnerabilities.
In terms of threat intelligence, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution, where attackers leverage software flaws in client applications or system services to execute malicious code on the target machine. The ability to trigger arbitrary code execution through file parsing highlights the importance of secure coding practices and continuous security auditing within operating system development lifecycles. Organizations should monitor vendor advisories closely as new CVEs are often disclosed for similar memory corruption issues across different platforms, ensuring that patch management cycles remain agile enough to address these high-severity risks before they can be weaponized in the wild by threat actors seeking initial access or privilege escalation opportunities within enterprise environments.