CVE-2026-112696 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in 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. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a critical out-of-bounds write flaw within the core operating systems of Apple's ecosystem, specifically affecting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS platforms. This type of security defect arises when software writes data to a memory location that lies outside the boundaries of the intended buffer or array structure. In this specific instance, the issue was addressed by implementing improved bounds checking mechanisms within the affected system components. The absence of rigorous boundary validation prior to memory write operations allowed an application to manipulate pointers in a manner that bypassed standard safety checks, leading to writes into unauthorized regions of kernel space. Such flaws are fundamentally categorized under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, which is widely recognized as one of the most dangerous classes of software vulnerabilities due to its potential for arbitrary code execution and system compromise.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it resides within the kernel memory space rather than user-level application memory. Kernel memory holds privileged data structures that control hardware resources, process scheduling, and security policies. When an app triggers an out-of-bounds write in this context, it can corrupt critical kernel data structures or overwrite adjacent memory segments containing executable code. This corruption can lead to unexpected system termination, manifesting as a crash or reboot of the device, which impacts availability. More critically, if the attacker carefully crafts the payload to overwrite function pointers or return addresses within the kernel, they may achieve arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1055: Process Injection and potentially T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as gaining control over kernel memory effectively grants full administrative rights to the compromised system, bypassing all user-space security controls such as sandboxing or App Transparency.
The vulnerability affects a broad range of Apple devices running iOS 27.2 and later, iPadOS 27.2 and later, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, and visionOS 27.2. The inclusion of multiple major operating system families indicates that the underlying code flaw likely exists in a shared kernel component or framework used across these platforms. This commonality suggests that developers must ensure consistent application of security patches across all device types to maintain a uniform security posture. Without this patch, any maliciously crafted app distributed through official channels or sideloaded could exploit this weakness without requiring additional user interaction beyond the initial installation and execution of the vulnerable software.
Mitigation strategies primarily rely on applying the provided system updates immediately upon release. For enterprise environments utilizing mobile device management solutions, automated deployment pipelines should be configured to prioritize these patches for all enrolled devices. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict app distribution policies that limit code execution to trusted sources only, reducing the attack surface available to potential attackers attempting to exploit this kernel-level flaw. Developers integrating third-party libraries or custom drivers into their applications must also audit memory management practices to ensure robust bounds checking is implemented at every point of data access, preventing similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future software versions. Regular security audits and static analysis tools configured to detect CWE-787 patterns can further help identify such issues during the development lifecycle before they reach production environments.